


Lust of the Lost

by RosaleeWrites



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Aged-Up Otabek Altin, Aged-Up Yuri Plisetsky, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Prostitution, Bisexual Otabek Altin, Gay, Gay Sex, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Long-Haired Yuri Plisetsky, M/M, Otabek is 27, Otayurio, Prostitution, Swearing, Yuri is 24, Yuri is taller than Otabek, otayuri - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-03-19 16:00:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 25,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13707825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosaleeWrites/pseuds/RosaleeWrites
Summary: Otabek Altin has it all - he's intelligent, sinfully good-looking and fabulously wealthy, but when it comes to his love life he's down on his luck. Perhaps it's time to hire a professional?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Please note that this hasn't been beta read so I hope there aren't too many mistakes (English isn't my native language so please go easy on me.) This is HEAVILY inspired by the 90's movie "Pretty Woman" starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere (I'm giving away my age here...) and yes, my summary sucks. Enjoy!
> 
> (PS: Just wanted to add that in this fic Yuri is 24 and Otabek is 27, and Yuri's a few cm's taller than Otabek.)

“Have you seen Otabek?” J.J. enquires from one of the party guests.

The man shakes his head, “No I haven’t. By the way, great party J.J.!”

“Well, my wife went through a lot of trouble, she called the catering company,” he laughs as he makes his way to the outdoor bar. The place is buzzing with people, the sound of violins and cellos adding to the atmosphere.

“Hey J.J., I understand Otabek is going to be taking over Feltsman Industries?” another guest enquires.

“Yeah well, he’s not here to get a suntan,” he jokes.

“Can I get in on it?”  
  
“Sure, call me,” he turns his attention to another guest, reaches out to shake his hand, “Hi, I’m J.J. Leroy, Otabek Altin’s lawyer.”  
  
“Hey, where’s the guest of honour anyway?”

“Well if I know him he’s probably in a corner somewhere charming a,“ he turns and smiles at a woman standing to his left and greets her with a kiss on the cheek, “very lovely lady. How are you Amanda?”

He stays to chat for a few moments when he sees one of Otabek’s employees walk by.

“Hey, Leo! Have you seen your boss anywhere?”

“Can’t say I have. Is something wrong?”  
  
J.J. sighs, clearly exasperated, “We set up this party for him to celebrate his move back to the U.S. from Kazakhstan, and he couldn’t be bothered to socialize with anyone! God dammit, I swear he’s going to give me an aneurysm someday.”  
  
Leo frowns at J.J.’s small outburst, “Yeah, Mr. Altin has never really been the social type, I’m not surprised…”

“Anyway, if you see please ask him to come find me?”

“Sure thing Mr. Leroy, will do."

* * *

 

Otabek peers through the second story window with his cellphone pressed to his ear.

“Jess, I told my secretary to make the arrangements, didn’t she call you?”

_“Yes, she did. You know I speak to your secretary more than I speak to you.”_

“I see,” Otabek responds coolly.  
  
_“I have my own life too you know Otabek.”_

“This is a very important week for me and I need you here.”

_“But you never give me any notice! You just think I’m at your beck and call.”_

Otabek sighs and walks over to the window, looking over the crowd of people socialising below, “I don’t believe that you are at my beck and call.”  
  
_“Well, that’s the way you always make me feel. Maybe I should just move out.”_  
  
“If that’s what you want, yes.”  
  
_“Alright, when you get back to New York we’ll discuss -”_  
  
“Now is as good a time as any.”  
  
_“That’s fine with me Otabek, goodbye.”_

“Goodbye Jessica,” Otabek mutters into the phone even though she already hung up. He rubs his forehead in frustration.

  _Why must I always be so blunt? I should not have said that… dammit. I’m too stressed out._

He looks at the party guests once again – he’s never enjoyed social engagements all that much and he really isn’t in the mood for socializing, especially after what just happened with Jess. He decides to just go back to his hotel, this party be damned.

He heads down the stairs while catching up with an employee of his called Guang-Hong, “Well, Mr. Leroy suggested that -”

“J.J. is just my lawyer, okay?”  
  
“Yes sir.”

“Anyway, how are things at the China branch going today?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” he glances down at his Rolex, “The offices in Hong Kong opened maybe 90 minutes ago, I need you to keep on top of these things, alright?”

“Yes sir,” he nods and leaves to go attend to business as instructed.

 

“Sarah!” Otabek spots an ex-girlfriend of his on his way out, and gives her a quick peck on the cheek, “I heard you got married?”

She holds out her hand to show off the ring on her finger, “Well, yeah. I couldn’t wait for you,” she teases, and they both chuckle.

“Sarah, tell me something.”

“Yes?”

“When you and I were dating, did you speak to my secretary more than you spoke to me?”

“She was one of my bridesmaids…”

“Right,” Otabek nods at the confirmation before pecking her on the cheek again, “Your husband’s a very lucky guy. Bye.”

 

"Is this Mr. Leroy's car?" Otabek asks the valet when he gets outside to the parking area, but before he gets an answer J.J. is behind him.

"Hey Otabek, where are you off to?"

"J.J., do you have the keys to your car?"

"Why? What's wrong with the limo?"

"The limo is buried back there," he gestures to the far corner of the parking area, "Daryl can't get it out. So please, give me your keys?"

J.J. takes his keys out of his pocket and Otabek quickly grabs them, "Look, I don't think you should drive, you're a little excited..."

Otabek ignores him and gets into the black Maserati anyway, turning it on.

"... look Otabek, are you familiar with a stick shift? Have you ever even driven a shift before?"

"Sure," he lies - as a matter of fact, he doesn't even have a drivers license. He's always being driven around by a chauffeur and the only license he does indeed have is for his motorbike.

"Listen, just be careful with it OK? It's brand new..." J.J. visibly cringes at the sound the car makes while Otabek struggles to get it into gear.

"I'm fine," he tries (and fails) to reassure his lawyer and friend. He pulls off and the car jerks forward, coming to a halt in the middle of the street a few seconds later. J.J. lunges after it, with his hands flailing in the air.

"Look, you don't even know where you're going!" he exclaims, obviously nervous, but he gets ignored as Otabek pulls off again.

"You're going to get lost! You're going in the wrong direction, Beverly Hills is  _down_  the hill!" he shouts after the car, but Otabek is long gone.

 

* * *

 

As expected, Otabek is indeed very lost. Luckily the car's fuel tank is full so he doesn't have to be worried about running out. It's getting really dark as he drives through some really dodgy looking areas - he's definitely nowhere near his hotel.

He decides to stop and ask for directions from an old man digging through a pile of trash," Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Beverly Hills?"

"You're here! That's Sylvester Stallone's house right over there!" the old man exclaims, his words full of sarcasm as he points to a dilapidated house across the street.

 _Very funny old man._ "Thank you," Otabek responds before driving off.

"You're welcome!" the man sings in response, laughing as he continues scavenging.

 

* * *

 

 

Yuri wakes up to the sound of his phone alarm - it's 18h00, time to start getting ready for work just like every other day. After he gets out of the shower he blow-dries his long blonde hair and styles it in a ponytail with a braid on each side of his head. He applies eyeliner and mascara to emphasize his vibrant green eyes and finally slips on a pair of skin-tight leather shorts, a tank top with revealing cut-outs at the back, some thigh-high stockings and a black choker. He grabs a black marker and fills in the flaky patches on his ankle boots before putting them on, and finally he slips into his favourite leopard print blazer. He checks his appearance in the mirror - sure, the style is a bit more feminine than his usual day-to-day style, but he knows it works to his advantage. When you're competing with so many other hookers on Hollywood Boulevard it's important to stand out and he uses his delicate features to his advantage - even though it's still obvious he's a man, being dressed in this manner is a niche many male customers seem to like.

He walks out the door only to hear the landlord bitching at one of the other tenants downstairs and quickly heads back upstairs to get some money to pay for the small rundown apartment he shares with his friend Mila. He lifts up the loose floorboard where they hide their stash only to find the small plastic container empty.

"For fuck sake... God dammit Mila!" he shoves the floorboard in place forcefully, clearly frustrated. Knowing that he has to avoid the landlord at all costs until they have the means to pay him, he climbs out the window and down the fire escape, and ducks through a hole in the fence.

 

On his way to "the office", he walks past a crime scene where a female prostitute was found dead in a dumpster. Yuri manages to avoid all the cops swarming about the place - getting arrested would not be ideal especially since they apparently don’t even have money for rent at the moment, let alone bail money.

He arrives at The Dungeon and makes his way through all the bodies on the dancefloor to the corner where Mila is hanging out with a couple of other people.

“Hey Yuri!” Mila exclaims happily when she sees him.

“Is it all gone?” Yuri asks outright, too pissed off to bother greeting her.

“Babe, you know Carlos and this is Angel, and -”

“I know who everybody is, Mila. Now tell me, is it all gone?”

“Carlos sold me some great shit, we just had this party and I was the hostess…”

“I can’t fucking believe you bought drugs with our rent money! What the fuck is going on with you?!” Yuri shouts.

“I needed a little pick-me-up,” Mila whines with a pout on her face.

“Yeah, but we need rent money!”

“Woah calm down,” Carlos stands up to defuse the situation, “she only owes me $500.”

“Carlos!” Mila scolds.

“$500!”

“That’s right, $500 Yuri. But if you want to work off her money with me, we can definitely work something out..." he reaches over and strokes Yuri's arm who immediately slaps it away before stomping off to the bar.

"That's a really sweet offer, Carlos, but not now," Mila comments before following her friend.

 Yuri curses as he realises he can't even buy himself a damn drink as Mila sits down next to him.

"You took it while I was sleeping?"

"You were unavailable for consultation. Besides, it is my apartment."

"Yeah, well I have to live there too Mila."

"Look, you came here, I gave you some money, I gave you a place to stay and I helped you get on your feet. He was on my case, so I had to give him something, so please get off my ass."

"Get off your ass? I just saw a girl get pulled out of a fucking dumpster."

"I know... Thin Lizzy. But she was a crackhead, Rachel has been trying to straighten her out for months."

After a few moments of contemplation, Yuri asks, "Don't you want to get out of here?"

"Get out where? Where the fuck do you wanna go?"

Yuri sighs before grabbing Mila to go outside so they could start their night of work and hopefully make enough money to cover rent.

A red convertible drives by carrying 3 men, one hanging out the side, "Hey babes!"

"Hey baby!" Mila calls back.

"How about a freebie, it's my birthday!"

"Dream on!" Mila responds while making a lewd gesture with her hand.

"Ugh... it's looking very slow tonight," Yuri stresses.

"Maybe we should get a pimp you know, Carlos really digs you."

"Yeah, and then he'll run our lives and take our hard-earned money. Fuck no."

"You're right... We say who, we say when, we say how much," Mila agrees before being distracted by a car coming in their direction, "Oh shit, catch this!"

"Wait a minute, that's a motherfucking Maserati Quattroporte!"

"No, that's rent! You should go for him, you look hot tonight. Don't take less than $150, and take care of yourself," Mila gives him a one over and tucks in a loose strand of hair.

"Yeah, take care Mila. I'll see you later," he gives her a hug before taking off his blazer and strutting over to the car.

"Work it, work it, baby!" Mila encourages.

Yuri leans onto the rolled down window of the car and overhears the gorgeous, well-dressed man behind the wheel talking to himself.

"You can do this... first gear is here somewhere," he struggles with the gear lever.

"Hey sugar, you looking for a date?"

The man's head snaps up, seemingly startled although his face remains emotionless, "No, I'm looking for Beverly Hills. Could you give me directions?"

"Sure," Yuri agrees irritably, "for 10 bucks."

He stares at Yuri for a few seconds, still expressionless, before muttering to himself, "Ridiculous..."

"Price just went up to 15."

The brunette stranger frowns, "You can't charge me for directions."

"I can do whatever the fuck I want to, I'm not lost," the blonde straightens up and turns around, showing off his ass - he knows how good it looks in leather.

Otabek sighs, "Fine. Have you got change for 20?"

Yuri walks around and gets into the passenger seat, "For 20 I can show you where all the stars live."

"Oh that's alright, I've already been to Stallone's," he quips, referring to his earlier attempt at getting directions.

"Great, down the street make a turn to the right."

He struggles to get the car in gear, causing it to make that god-awful sound again but he manages to pull off.

"Lights! Lights would be good at this time of night!" the blonde passenger exclaims and Otabek obliges.

They drive for a bit as Yuri gives directions.

"This is a hot car!"

"It's a little... temperamental..."

"Yours?"

"No."

"Stolen?"

"Not exactly."

They sit in silence for a few moments.

"What's your name?" the brunette speaks first.

"What do you want it to be?" Yuri smirks.

He raises an eyebrow at him, the most emotion he's shown on his face since Yuri's met him.

The blonde hesitates a bit before answering, "Yuri. My name is Yuri."

"Yuri..." the brunette repeats.

Yuri nods, "So... what hotel are you staying at?"

"The Westwood Beverly."

"Around the block, go right at the corner," the blonde explains. The stranger struggles once again to get the car into gear, making Yuri frown.

"You're really shit at driving, you know."

"Yeah... my first car was a limousine." A comfortable silence falls over them, before he continues, "Have you ever driven a Maserati?"

"No, I have not."

"Well, you're going to start right now," he pulls off to the side of the road, while Yuri stares at him with wide eyes.

"You're fucking kidding right?"

"No, it's the only way I can get you off my coat," he jokes, nodding his head towards the coat Yuri is sitting on.

Yuri chuckles - despite the brunette's constant stoic expression he understands that it's a joke.

They switch places and Yuri flashes him a mischievous smile, "Fasten your seatbelt, I'm taking you for the ride of your life."

It becomes clear to Yuri that this stranger isn't much of a talker, so they drive in relative silence for a few minutes, Yuri flooring it all the way occasionally making the other man grab onto his seat.

 

"So tell me, how much do you guys make these days?"

"150."

"150 a night?"

"An hour."

"You make $150 an hour and you're wearing stockings with holes in them? You've got to be joking."

"I never joke about money."

"Neither do I. $150 dollars an hour. That's pretty stiff."

Yuri smirks at that and leans over to feel the dark-haired man's crotch, "Well, no, but it's got potential."

The brunette raises his eyebrow in response but remains quiet, and Yuri's hand returns to the steering wheel.

 

They pull up in front of the hotel with tyres screeching and a bellhop instantly approaches the car to open the door for Otabek.

"Will you be needing the car again tonight, Mr. Altin?"

"I hope not." he looks over at Yuri, standing awkwardly on the sidewalk, obviously not sure what to do next. "So, you'll be alright getting back?"

"Yeah, I'll just get a cab with my $20."

"Back to your office."

Yuri laughs, "Yeah, my office."

Otabek thinks to himself that he has never heard such beautiful laughter before, nor has he seen a more stunning smile. This is the first time he allows himself to properly look at the blonde standing in front of him, and he is a bit taken aback by how gorgeous he is. His tall body is slender but strong with legs for days and those fiery green eyes... when he's not laughing or smiling, they're piercing like the eyes of a soldier - it's obvious that he hasn't had an easy life.

"What are you staring at asshole?" Yuri says playfully, snapping him out of his trance.

The brunette shakes his head as if to wake himself up, "Sorry, I must have zoned out. Well, thanks for the ride."

"Sure thing." the blonde fidgets with his hand, turns around and goes to sit on a bench next to the bus stop, while the other man watches on.

"No taxis?"

"No, I like the bus..."

The bellhop stares in disbelief as the successful businessman walks towards the blonde who is obviously a prostitute.

"So, I was thinking... did you really say $150 an hour?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah..." he contemplates quietly for a moment, "Well, if you don't have any prior engagements I'd be very pleased if you'd accompany me into the hotel."


	2. Chapter 2

“So, what’s your name?”

“It’s Otabek.”

“Otabek? That’s my favourite name in the whole world,” the blonde teases, playfully bumping his shoulder against the man walking beside him.

“You don’t say,” Otabek responds with a hint of sarcasm which is almost unnoticeable, the corners of his lips ever so slightly turned upwards.

“I’m telling you Otabek, this is fate,” he giggles.

“Here, put this on,” the brunette hands over his long grey coat.

“Why? I’m not cold?”

“This kind of hotel isn’t the type that rents rooms by the hour.”

"Right…”

They walk into the lobby in relative silence but they unfortunately do not escape the attention of the staff and guests around them as the coat isn’t long enough to hide Yuri’s boots and stockings.

“Wow!” Yuri loudly exclaims as he comes to a sudden stop in the middle of the lobby, admiring the rich décor. The marble flooring, the crystal chandelier hanging in the middle of the room, the plush pure white couches and the abstract art pieces – Yuri stares at everything for a few moments with his mouth hanging open.

“It’s alright,” Otabek shrugs.

A few guests reclining on some sofas become aware of their presence and stare, the distaste clearly visible on their faces.

The blonde fidgets nervously, “Holy fucking shit.”

“You’re going to be fine. Come with me and stop fidgeting,” he walks towards the front desk.

“Good evening Mr. Altin,” a Japanese woman greets him from behind the counter.

“Hello, Minako. Do you have any messages for me?”

“Yes, we have several,” she hands him a few pieces of paper, and the brunette briefly flips through them.

“Will you send up some champagne and strawberries please?”

“Certainly sir.”

Otabek thanks her before leading the blonde towards the elevators. Yuri gawks again at the gold leaf design on the elevator doors, garnering the attention of a middle-aged couple waiting for the lift to arrive.

He looks them up and down before lifting his leg up and placing it on a refuse bin right in from of him,” Oh shit honey, it looks like I have a ladder in my stockings…” he pouts, makes a point of pulling his already short pants even higher up his thigh, revealing even more skin. All the while he smirks at the older woman beside him, who stares at him in disbelief.

When the elevator eventually arrives, he’s the first one to walk in, “Well, would you look at that, there’s a bench in here for two,” he sits down and stretches his leg across the bench, eyeing the older couple with yet another snarky look on his face.

Otabek follows and the elevator doors close, the lift operator pressing the appropriate buttons without having to ask which floor they’re going to.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”

“Try…”

Yuri fidgets, feeling bad for embarrassing the man sitting next to him.

“Penthouse,” the operator announces as the doors open.

“The penthouse, ooooh,” they exit the elevator and the blonde struts towards the door.

Upon entering, he gawks at his surroundings for the third time that night – black and gold Persian carpets are scattered on the floor, gold-framed traditional art adorns the walls along with some gold plated wall lights, and a small crystal chandelier hangs in the middle of the room. The suite was much larger than the dingy old apartment he shared with Mila, and obviously a thousand times more luxurious.

The corners of Otabek’s mouth twitches into a small smile for a few moments as he watches the blonde’s reaction, “Impressed?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he spins around taking it all in before walking out the door that leads to the balcony, “Wow, great view! I bet you could see all the way to the ocean from up here.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” the brunette responds, sitting down at a desk to go through some paperwork.

“You don’t go out there?” Yuri asks when he comes back inside.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“I’m afraid of heights.”

“Really? Then why the hell do you stay in the penthouse?”

“It’s the best. They don’t have penthouses on the first floor,” he remarks sarcastically.

Yuri takes off the large coat and sits down on one of the plush grey sofas with his legs spread wide, “So, now that you have me here, what are you going to do with me?”

“I don’t know.”

“No?”

“I didn’t exactly plan this.”

“Do you plan everything?”

“Always.”

“I’m not much of a planner, I’d say I live from moment to moment. It’s unpredictable and makes life more exciting you know?”

Silence falls over them for a few moments before Yuri continues, “You know, you could pay me. That’s one way to break the ice.”

“Sure, I’m sorry… I’m assuming cash is acceptable?”

“Yeah, that works for me,” the blonde walks over and sits on the paperwork strewn across the desk.

Otabek hands over the money which Yuri stuffs into his bag.

“You’re sitting on a very important contract…”

“Well that’s something I’ve never sat on before,” he says as he shifts to the side so that the brunette can take the paperwork from under him, while simultaneously showing off his backside.

“Thank you.”

Yuri laughs before rummaging through his studded black satchel and pulling out some condoms, “Alright, I’ve got purple, I’ve got yellow, I’ve got red. I’m out of blue but I’ve got one gold circle coin left - the condom of champions! What do you say?”

“A buffet of safety…” Otabek comments dryly which makes Yuri giggle.

“Alright, let’s put one of these babies on you…” Yuri starts reaching for Otabek’s pants as the brunette stands up.

He grabs Yuri’s hands, “Hey, no…” he briefly closes his eyes as if to collect himself before he continues, “Why don’t we just talk for a little bit, OK?”

“Talk… Yeah, OK… Uhm.”

A few seconds of awkward silence follows while Otabek takes off his suit jacket.

The blonde straightens up, and sarcastically asks, “So Otabek, are you in town for business or pleasure?”

“Business.”

“Business… well let me guess, you’re an accountant?”

“What make you think that?” the brunette asks as he sits down on a chair in the living area, Yuri taking a seat across from him on a footstool.

“Hmmm… well, you’re too serious, and you seem boring as shit.”

Otabek raises an eyebrow at that, “Boring?”

“What? I’m just being honest. You’ve already paid me so it doesn’t really matter if I piss you off now.”

The brunette contemplates quietly before speaking again, “I bet you’ve known a lot of accountants."

“I’ve known a lot of everybody,” Yuri smiles as he starts to run his fingers down the inside of the other man’s thighs.

They’re interrupted by room service, who places the tray on the small bar counter in the corner of the living area. Otabek gives the man a tip before he leaves, after which he offers Yuri a glass a champagne.

“Thanks. Do you mind if I take my boots off?”

“Not at all.”

“So, are you married? In a relationship?”

“My _ex_ -wife is back in Kazakhstan living in my _ex_ -home with my _ex-_ dog. My most recent  _ex_ -girlfriend, Jessica, is in New York, moving out of my apartment as we speak.”

“An ex-wife and an ex-girlfriend huh... so have you ever been with another man before?”

“I dated a guy for a few months when I was in college. But I’ve only been with women since then.”

 _He’s becoming more talkative…_ Yuri contemplates quietly as he downs almost the entire glass of champagne in one go.

Otabek shakes his head at that, before holding out a bowl of strawberries, ”You should try one of these.”

“Why?”

“It brings out the flavour of the champagne.”

The blonde takes one and does as Otabek suggests, “Hmmm… damn, that’s good. Wait, aren’t you drinking?”

“I don’t drink.”

Yuri frowns at that, “Listen, I appreciate this whole seduction bullshit you’ve got going on here but I’m a sure thing, OK? No need to impress me to get into my pants. I’m on an hourly rate so could we just move it along?”

“Time seems to be a major issue for you.”

“No shit. Now let’s get a move on.”

“How much for the entire night?”

The blonde stares at him in silence for a few moments, clearly shocked.

“You want me to stay here?” he regains his composure and chuckles, “You couldn’t afford it.”

“Try me.”

“$700.”

“Done. Now we can relax,” Otabek agrees without hesitation.

Yuri fidgets nervously, not sure what to make of the situation.

“Uhm, mind if I use the bathroom?”

“Go ahead.”

 

Yuri closes the door behind him and looks at himself in the mirror.

“What the actual fuck?” he whispers to his reflection.

After several minutes, the blonde is startled by a sudden knock on the door.

“You alright in there?”

“I’ll be out in a minute. The champagne just got to me a little bit,” Yuri answers as he rummages through his bag.

“I’m coming in.”

The blonde spins around as the door opens, clutching something in his hand behind his back which Otabek can see in the reflection of the mirror.

“What the hell? I said I’d be out in just a minute.”

“What are you hiding behind your back?”

“Nothing…”

Otabek eyes him suspiciously before he picks up Yuri’s bag and puts it in his hands, “Alright, I do not want any drugs here. Get your things, get your money -”

“I don’t do drugs alright? I stopped doing that shit years ago,” Yuri cuts him off.

“Then what is this…” Otabek reaches for his hand and pries his fist open, a bit stunned at what he finds, “This is… dental floss?”

“Yeah… I had all those strawberry seeds stuck in my teeth and... and dental health is important!” the blonde looks down at the floor fidgeting with the small container in his hands, feeling embarrassed for some unknown reason.

“I’m sorry. Please continue.”

“Thank you.”

Otabek shuffles past towards the door but doesn’t leave the room.

The blonde breaks off a piece of floss before noticing the man still standing in the doorway, “Are you gonna watch?”

“Uh… no.” But Otabek doesn’t move.

“You’re still fucking watching!”

“It’s just that… very few people surprise me,” he explains before closing the door behind him.

 

* * *

 

 

Otabek spends the next hour and a half dealing with paperwork while Yuri watches a movie. He's not sure exactly what the blonde man is watching but it sure is making him laugh a lot.

Yuri is sprawled out on the couch lying on his stomach, his legs crossed in the air behind him while he's drinking champagne. Otabek silently watches from a distance - he observes the flawless porcelain skin peeking out through the cutouts of his tank top, the way his pants hugs his body as if it's a second skin, the way his face lights up when he laughs. That laughter... Otabek would be content with just listening to it all night. He gets up to sit on a nearby living chair and continues to observe in silence, the corners of his lips forming a small genuine smile, the kind of smile that makes his eyes soften.

The blonde becomes aware of the other man's presence and smiles at the warm expression on his face. They remain this way for a few moments before Yuri pauses the movie, crawls over and makes himself comfortable at the other man's feet. He takes off his tank top, revealing a slender but muscular torso. He runs his fingers up the other man's leg all the way to his upper thigh, then over his hips and up his abdomen. He leans into him, continuing with his fingers up over his chest until he reaches the tie around his neck, which he begins to loosen. Their faces only inches apart, Otabek tucks a stray blonde hair behind Yuri's ear.

"What do you want?" Yuri whispers seductively.

"What do you do?"

"Everything. But I don't kiss on the mouth."

When the brunette doesn't respond, Yuri takes matters into his own hands. He kisses the man all the way down his chest as he unbuttons his shirt helping him shrug out of it once he's done. The blonde then unbuttons Otabek's pants and pulls the zipper down with his teeth...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the blunt ending... we might be in for some smut next chapter. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's a bit of a smutty chapter. I've never written smut up until now so this was quite challenging for me to write - I hope it's not too awful.  
> Thanks for all the comments and kudos thus far, much appreciated!

* * *

 

Yuri pulls off Otabek’s trousers and briefs, surprised to find a large tattoo on the man’s left thigh. The blonde doesn’t waste time trying to figure out what the image on his skin is, instead continuing with the task at hand. He takes the other man’s erect member into his hand, pumping it a few times before licking along the ridge on the underside of his shaft. The blonde flicks his tongue over the head of the other man's penis before taking him into his mouth, the hot wetness of his mouth causing the man in front of him to gasp as he starts to bob his head up and down.

After a few moments of this Otabek tugs gently at Yuri’s hair, “Let’s go to the bedroom.”

Yuri obliges, helping the other man off the chair, leading him to the room by hand and finally pushing him down onto the huge king-sized bed. The blonde quickly rummages through his bag, pulling out a condom and a bottle of lube, laying it on the bed before proceeding to take off the rest of his own clothes.

He crawls on top of Otabek and whispers into his ear, “Do whatever you want but remember, no kissing on the mouth.”

His warm breath sends shivers down Otabek’s spine who reacts by running his hands up and down the blonde’s back and eventually cupping his ass with both hands. He had never considered soliciting the services of a prostitute before, and even though it feels so wrong to be doing this it feels so damn right at the same time.

The brunette starts to kiss Yuri's neck which startles the blonde, causing him to pull away.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“What?”

“You’re kissing me…”

“You said no kisses on the mouth. I'm not kissing you on your mouth.”

Yuri shrugs after a few seconds of consideration and they continue where they left off, Otabek planting warm kisses down the blonde’s neck and chest, eventually finding his way to a perfectly pink nipple that happens to be pierced.

Yuri gasps, “Y-you know, you’re paying me to please you, n-not the other way around…”

“Hmmm... but this does please me,” Otabek mumbles, taking the nub into his mouth again. He's playing with the small metal stud between his teeth which causes the blonde to gasp even more.

Otabek moves to the other nipple while he puts some lube on his fingers, after which his hand starts grabbing hungrily at the blonde’s ass.

“May I?”

“You’ve already paid me for this idiot… just fucking do it,” Yuri whines as he rolls his hips. He is so incredibly turned on, he’s never wanted to have sex with a client this desperately before. He even momentarily forgets he’s on the clock, thoroughly enjoying the small pleasures this stranger is so gracefully bestowing upon him.

 _If every client was like this one, my job wouldn’t be half bad…_ Yuri's thoughts are cut off when he feels a slick finger teasing at his entrance, a heavy moan escaping his lips.

Otabek flips them over with a swift motion so that Yuri is now laying on his back. The blonde closes his eyes and bites his bottom lip as he feels a finger enter his rear. Otabek moves his finger in and out all the while still stimulating Yuri's nipples and occasionally nibbling at his flesh, before inserting a second digit a minute later.

He truly is amazing - sliding his fingers in and out, curling and scissoring them inside Yuri, and generally just driving him out of his mind. The blonde hisses when Otabek finds and gently strokes his prostate, slipping in a third finger a moment later.

By Yuri’s standards, the brunette really is taking his sweet time – if it were anybody else his work would be done by now but it’s obvious that this man really wants Yuri to enjoy himself as well. Clients never really care about anything other than their own satisfaction, but this is different.

Otabek removes his fingers, puts on a condom and slicks his erection up with lube. The blonde takes this time to turn around and position himself on all fours, anxiously waiting for the other man to enter him.

He feels the bed sag slightly as the brunette takes his place behind him, softly running his hands down Yuri’s spine which makes him shiver.

“Are you going to fuck me or not?” the blonde practically growls in frustration.

Otabek runs his hands down the blonde's back one more time before settling them around his hips and Yuri finally feels himself slowly stretch around the other man's penis. He slips in without too much resistance and Yuri silently thanks him for taking the time to prepare him so thoroughly, as Otabek is quite a bit larger than average. He stops to give the blonde some time to adjust before he starts moving in and out, slowly at first but eventually picking up the speed and finding a steady rhythm.

After a while he wraps his hand around Yuri's aching erection causing the latter to tense up in surprise, "You don't have to -"

"But I want to. Is that OK?"

"Y-yeah," he confirms and the other man continues, timing each movement of his hand perfectly with the thrust of his hips. 

When Otabek realises he's close to climaxing he slightly changes his angle in order to apply a bit more pressure to Yuri's prostate, eliciting a deep, desperate moan from the blonde. Yuri reaches climax a minute later, moaning loudly and Otabek follows not too long after with a few ragged gasps. 

  

 

The brunette takes a long, hot shower, feeling conflicted about the whole situation. He did not expect this night to end with him having a prostitute in his bed but he couldn't deny that it was quite exhilarating. Not to mention that it was the first time he's been with another man in about 6 years.

He returns to find Yuri fast asleep in bed - a dirty makeup wipe covered in black eyeliner and mascara lying on the bedside table. Fresh-faced and with his long golden hair strewn across the pillow, Yuri looks almost angelic and Otabek can't help but admire his beauty for a bit before quietly slipping out of the bedroom to attend to some emails.

  

* * *

 

Yuri wakes up the next morning and immediately starts getting his things together. He changes into the extra pair of clothes he had in his bag - fishnets, ripped black denim shorts, a white t-shirt with the face of a cat on it and, a large blue and red plaid shirt which he leaves unbuttoned. He ties a knot in his t-shirt to expose his midriff, puts his black choker on and styles his hair like he had it the day before.

He finds Otabek sitting at the dining table with a cup of coffee, typing away on his laptop.

"Hey."

"Hi, good morning," Otabek smiles ever-so-slightly.

"Uhm... you didn't wake me and I can see you're busy so I'm just gonna..."

"There's no hurry. Are you hungry? Why don't you sit and have something to eat," the brunette stands up and pulls out a chair for Yuri to sit down, "I ordered a couple of different things off the menu, I didn't know what you'd like."

He uncovers five different plates of food for Yuri to choose from. The blonde smiles at him shyly as he fidgets with his hands.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Yuri reaches for a croissant and takes a big bite - it's something he loves to eat but never really has the opportunity to indulge in.

"Did you sleep well?" Otabek enquires.

"Yeah, too well. I forgot where the hell I was."

"An occupational hazard I suppose?" the other man jokes.

The blonde giggles with a mouthful of food, "Yeah, I guess. How about you?"

"I slept for two or three hours on the couch. I was up late working."

"Hmmm... You don't sleep, you don't drink, you don't do drugs," Yuri eyes the mostly untouched plate of food next to Otabek's laptop, "you hardly eat. So, what do you do Otabek?"

"I buy companies."

"What kind of companies?"

"Ones that are in financial difficulty."

"Companies that are going to shit... You must get them for a bargain then, huh?"

"Well, the company I'm looking to buy this week I'm hoping to get for the bargain price of about $1 billion."

Yuri nearly chokes on his food, "Dollars?"

"Yes."

"Wow, holy crap! You must be really smart huh?"

Otabek chuckles in response before Yuri continues, "I only got through eleventh grade, how far did you go in school?"

"All the way."

"I bet your parents are very proud."

Otabek doesn't respond and his face remains expressionless.

 

 

Yuri finishes eating some pancakes as Otabek gets ready for a day at the office. The blonde stands next to him watching as he struggles with his tie.

"So, you don't really have $10 billion dollars do you?"

"No, I get some from banks and investors. It's not an easy thing to do."

"And you don't make anything..."

"No."

"... and you don't build anything."

"No."

"So what do you do with the companies once you buy them?" Yuri pulls Otabek's hands away from his tie, "Here, let me do that."

"I break them up into pieces and sell them off. That way it's worth a lot more than the company as a whole."

"So kind of like stealing cars and selling them for the parts?"

"Sort of. But legal."

Yuri nods and finishes up with Otabek's tie, "There, now it's perfect!"

"Not bad. Where'd you learn to do that so well?"

"I screwed the debate team when I was in high school."

Otabek raises an eyebrow and Yuri rolls his eyes before giving him the real answer, "I had a grandpa who was nice to me and he liked to wear ties on Sundays."

The brunette shakes his head as he chuckles and starts packing his laptop and some paperwork into a briefcase.

"Hey, can I take a swim in your tub before I leave?"

"Sure, just stay in the shallow end," he jokes before answering his cellphone.

 

Meanwhile, Yuri runs himself a bubble bath, gets undressed and relaxes in the large, round tub with some music blaring in his ears. It's not long before he closes his eyes and loudly starts to sing along to Sia, "Baby, I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight, I love cheap thrills!"

Otabek goes to investigate while he's still on the phone with J.J., clearly not paying attention to what the lawyer is saying anymore.

"Hey, what's that noise?" J.J. suddenly asks.

Otabek takes a seat on the edge of the tub and watches while Yuri sings, "It's just housekeeping. I'll call you back," he hangs up the phone without waiting for a response.

The blonde laughs when he becomes aware of the other man's presence.

Otabek contemplates for a few moments. "I have a business proposition for you."

"What do you want?"

"I'm going to be in town until Sunday. I want you to spend the week with me."

"Really?" Yuri grins.

"Yes. I'd like to hire you as an employee. I'll pay you to be at my beck and call."

The blonde frowns, "Listen, I'd like to be your beck-and-call guy but you're a hot, rich guy. You could get anyone you want for free."

"But I want a professional. I don't need any romantic hassles this week."

"If we're talking 24/7 it's going to cost you..."

"How much?"

"Hmmm... how about ten thousand."

"Seven."

"Eight."

"OK, I'll do eight."

A broad smile spreads across the blonde's face as he throws his hands up in the air, "Holy fucking shit!" He laughs and dunks his entire body and head under the bubbly water.

Otabek leans over the bath, "Is that a yes?"

Yuri pops back up and nods with his face and hair covered in bubbles, laughing as Otabek wipes them away with a towel.

 

 

After Yuri's bath Otabek is getting ready to leave for the day. He turns and hands him a black credit card, "Here, go buy yourself some clothes. Something elegant and not too flashy."

"Elegant and not too flashy... so, boring?"

Otabek lightly shakes his head, "Just buy yourself a suit for tonight, we're going out to dinner with some important people."

"OK. So... Can I call you Beka?" the blonde asks playfully.

"Not if you expect me to answer." 

Yuri laughs before commenting with a mischievous look in his eyes, "You know, I would have stayed for seven thousand..."

Without skipping a beat Otabek responds with, "I would have paid ten," and with that he walks out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in my headcanon, Otabek can be a bit of a people pleaser but only under certain circumstances or for certain people, which is why he behaves the way he does in this chapter. We might delve into this side of him in future chapters... Also, Otabek has a tattoo? Hmmm...
> 
> (Yuri's outfit was inspired by awesome artwork done by http://kawaiilo-ren.tumblr.com. Check it out here: https://78.media.tumblr.com/518808237f0697f055037b0f2074eb4b/tumblr_p31vd8jGg01rfyummo1_500.png)


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

 

_"Hello?”_

“Mila! It’s Yuri,” he twirls the telephone cord around his finger as he lies on the bed.

_“Yuri babe, how are you? I thought you’d be home by now, must have had a good night huh?”_

“Mila, you are _not_ going to believe this…”

_“What's up?”_

“You know the guy from last night? The one in the Maserati? I’m in his hotel room in Beverly Hills, the motherfucking penthouse! His bathroom is bigger than our entire apartment!”

 _“Do I have to hear this…"_ Mila sulks on the other side of the line.

“It gets better. He wants me to stay the whole week. And you know what he’s gonna give me? You’ll never guess…”

_“Tell me?”_

“$8000!”

 _“Bullshit!”_ the redhead giggles.

“I swear to god… and extra money to buy new clothes.”

_“Aw man, I’m so bummed I gave that guy to you! $8000… is he twisted?”_

“No.”

_“Ugly?”_

“He’s hot as hell.”

_“Well then, what’s wrong with him?”_

“Nothing.”

_“Nothing? Did he give you the money yet?”_

“I’ll get it at the end of the week.”

_“That’s what’s wrong with him!”_

“Well he gave me 500 for last night and, listen, I want you to pick it up so you can pay the rent. I’ll leave it at the front desk of the Westwood Beverly, write it down. Are you writing it down? Before you forget it!”

_“Yeah, yeah, I’ve got it."_

“Alright, now… where do I go to get some clothes? The good stuff. I've got his credit and no budget."

_“In Beverly Hills? Rodeo Drive baby!”_

 

* * *

  

Yuri struts through the hotel lobby paying no mind to the people gawking at him.

He approaches the front desk, the woman behind it eyeing him cautiously “Can I help you, sir?”

He slides over an envelope to the woman Otabek previously referred to as Minako, “Yes, I’d like to leave this here for Mila Babicheva. She’s going to come by to pick it up.”

“Certainly.”

“And don’t open it!”

“...Of course not.”

“OK. Thanks.”

 

He walks out the door and gets a taxi to take him to Rodeo Drive. He walks past countless stores, peering into the windows of jewellery stores, fashion boutiques for women, shops selling expensive designer handbags and accessories before he finally finds a store stocked with men’s fashion.

He enters, taking a look at the items on display for a few moments when a female shop assistant approaches him.

“Uhm… may I help you?”

“I’m just checking things out.”

“Are you looking for something in particular?”

“No... well, yeah. Something… conservative.”

“Uhm, yes…” she looks Yuri up and down, distaste clearly written across her face.

He walks over to a charcoal coloured suit, “How much for this?”

“I don’t think this would fit you…”

Yuri picking up on her attitude is getting very irritable very quickly, “Well, I didn’t ask if it would fit me, I asked how much it costs.”

“How much is this Seung-Gil?” she turns to an Asian man standing nearby.

“It’s very expensive."

“It’s very expensive,” the woman repeats, condescendingly.

“Look, I’ve got money to spend, and I need a suit.”

“I don’t think we have anything for you here.”

“You’re obviously in the wrong place,” the man called Seung-Gil agrees coldly, “Now, please leave.”

After glaring at them Yuri leaves the store without uttering another word. Feeling angry, disappointed and utterly embarrassed he decides to walk for a few blocks to clear his head instead of immediately calling a cab to take him back to the hotel.

“Look where you’re going asshole!” he yells when someone bumps into him, but by chance, it's the exact moment he happens to walk by an obscure little bookshop that seems very out of place. Deciding that he needs a bit of a pick-me-up he enters and starts browsing through the shelves.

 

 

He returns to the hotel without a suit, feeling despondent and unsure of what to do next.

“Excuse me sir, can I help you?” Minako approaches as he walks towards the elevator.

“I’m going to my room.”

“Do you have a key?”

“Oh shit, I forgot the damn keycard… I’m in the penthouse.”

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to come with me.”

“What? But why?”

“Please, it’ll only take a few minutes.”

Minako grabs his arm and leads in the opposite direction, “Ah come on!”

 

 

She closes the door behind her and motions for him to sit down.

“Tell me, what's your name?” she asks as she pours herself a glass of water.

“What do you want it to be?”

“Don’t play games with me, young man.” 

 He sighs, “Yuri.”

“Thank you.” Minako sits on the corner of her desk right in front of him.

“Yuri… well. Things that go on at other hotels do not happen at the Westwood Beverly. As a customer we expect all our guests to sign in any additional guests but because Mr. Altin is a special guest of ours we are willing to overlook it. Now, I’m assuming you’re… a relative?” she asks cryptically, obviously not believing that to be true - she is well aware that the man in front of her is a sex worker.

“…yes.”

“Ah, I thought so. And you must be his…?”

“…cousin.”

“Of course. Naturally, when Mr. Altin leaves we will never see you at this hotel again. I’m assuming you have no other cousins here?”

Yuri shakes his head in response, this whole conversation just making him feel even worse.

“Good, then we understand each other. I would also encourage you to dress a little more appropriately. That’ll be all.”

“No, that’s not all!” Yuri practically shouts, “That’s what I was trying to do. I tried to go get some goddamn clothes on Rodeo Drive today, and these assholes at the store wouldn’t help me and Otabek gave me his credit card and I have no clothes," he rambles, frustrated tears starting to sting his eyes, "I need a suit for dinner tonight and nobody will fucking help me."

Minako frowns at Yuri’s choice of words, and silently walks over to the phone on her desk, picking up the receiver.

“Oh, fucking great… if you’re calling the cops, tell them I say hi!" he says sarcastically before blowing his nose loudly, "This is just fucking fantastic -”

“Yuuko Nishigori please,” Minako waits in silence for a few moments, ”Hi Yuuko, it’s Minako Okukawa here at the Westwood Beverly,” she chuckles at something the person on the other ends said, “Thank you. Yes, I’d like it if you could do me a favour, please. I’m sending over a young man, his name is Yuri. He’s a special guest, well… he’s the cousin of a very special guest.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

A young Japanese woman approaches Yuri as soon as he enters the store.

“You must be Yuri? My name is Yuuko,” she smiles as she reaches out to shake his hand.

“Hi, yes… Minako said you’d be nice to me.”

“She’s very sweet,” Yuuko smiles warmly, “So, what are your plans?”

“We’re going to have dinner at some fancy-ass restaurant tonight.”

“Alright, you’ll need a nice suit then. Come with me,” Yuuko leads Yuri up a flight of stairs, “Now, I’m sure we’ll find something for you that your cousin would really like.”

“Yuuko… you realise he’s not really my cousin…”

“They never are dear.”

Yuri smiles at that, instantly feeling at ease being in Yuuko’s presence.

He spends an hour trying on several suits of a variety of colours and decides to settle for something that isn’t too “boring” but would still be considered elegant – standard black pants, a dark grey waistcoat and a white jacket with black vertical stripes. Yuuko helps him pick out a plain white shirt, a belt and a black tie as well as a pair black and white oxfords to tie the whole outfit together.

When Yuuko sees Yuri in the full outfit her nose starts to bleed.

“It’s perfect! You look amazing Yuri.”

“Uh… You’re gushing all kinds of fluids. Are you OK?”

“I’m fine, totally fine!” her voice gets more high pitched the more she speaks.

“OK…” Yuri frowns before returning to the dressing room to change back into his other clothes and when he returns Yuuko seems to be back to normal.

“OK, show me your hands.”

Yuri holds his hands out, palms facing downwards.

“Hmmm, this won’t do… and your hair too.”

“What’s wrong with my hair?”

“You’ve got split ends. You’ll have to get that sorted out. Tell you what, I have a friend who owns a great salon nearby. I'm sure they can squeeze you in for a quick manicure and a trim.”

“A manicure? I don’t think nail polish is going to go well with the suit...”

“Oh, they’ll just tidy them up, file them evenly, buff them a little bit, that sort of thing - no nail polish. Give me a second, I’ll arrange it for you.”

 

 

Yuri returns to the hotel with his suit in a bag, his nails looking tidy and his hair freshly trimmed, feeling a lot more confident than he did a few hours earlier.

He spots Minako talking to some guests and quickly pulls her away, “I got a suit!”

“I’d rather you be wearing it.”

“But then it’ll get all fu… I mean, messed up. But I can show it to you?”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m sure it’s quite lovely, thank you.”

“Alright well, listen. Yuuko was really nice and I just wanted to say thank you. You’re cool.”

“You’re welcome. Now, please excuse me,” Minako bows her head and smiles slightly as she walks back towards the guests she was previously talking to.

 

Shortly after Yuri gets back to the penthouse he gets a text from Otabek.

 **Otabek:** Did you manage to get some clothes today?

 **Yuri:** I got a suit and some nice shoes... I hope you like it!

 **Otabek:** Good. I’ll meet you in the lobby at 19h30 sharp.

 **Yuri:** What, you’re not coming up to the door?

 **Otabek:** This is a business meeting, not a date.

 **Yuri:** Alright, I’ll meet you in the lobby but only because you’re paying me to

 **Otabek:** How kind of you.

 **Yuri:** See you later. Snarky bastard

 **Otabek:** 19h30 sharp

 

Yuri chuckles as he flops onto the gigantic bed. He suddenly gets hit by a realization that makes him panic. He quickly heads down to the lobby and seeks out the person he’s looking for, “Minako! I've got a bit of a problem. Please teach me table etiquette? I’m going to a fancy-ass restaurant and I have no idea what all the different forks are for!”

She sighs, but leads him to the banqueting room and sits him down, giving him a run through.

  

"OK, one more time," Minako instructs, "Dinner napkin..."

"Dinner napkin laid gently across the lap."

"Good. Elbows off the table. Don't slouch. Now, this is the shrimp fork, the salad fork and the dinner fork," she points at each individually.

"OK, I've got the shrimp fork down but the rest of the silverware is confusing as hell."

It’s a lot to process and he probably only remembers half of it, but time is running out and he has to start getting ready.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Otabek arrives at the hotel at 19h40 but Yuri is nowhere to be seen. He walks over to the front desk to call the room, but Minako intercepts him, “Excuse me Mr. Altin, I have a message for you."

"From whom?"

"Your cousin, sir."

“My cousin?” he frowns at her.

"The young man who is staying with you in your room sir."

"Oh... I think we both know that he's not my cousin."

Minako is a bit startled by his frankness, "Of course."

"What's the message?"

"He's waiting for you in the lounge."

Otabek nods in response before heading to the lounge, Minako staring after him with a warm smile dancing across her face.

 

It doesn’t take long for him to find who he’s looking for. He smiles when he sees the striped suit jacket Yuri is wearing – he should have known he would pick something that wasn’t “boring”.

He looked elegant regardless and Otabek was rather pleased with the overall look, right down to his long blonde hair which was pulled back into a simple, neat ponytail.

“You’re late,” the blonde gets straight to the point.

“You’re stunning.”

Yuri smiles shyly, “You’re forgiven.”

“Shall we?” Yuri nods and Otabek places an arm around the taller, blonde man’s waist as they exit the hotel together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yuri's suit:  
> https://nightwish77.deviantart.com/art/Yuri-plisetsky-697337943  
> http://www.trustedeal.com/Yuri-on-Ice-Yurio-Suits-Cosplay-Costume.html


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried something a little bit different with this chapter - since they're going to a high-class restaurant the dishes that will be served are going to be interesting. Not much happens but I just wanted to write Yuri's reactions to different dishes he had never heard of before, I thought it would be fun. I don't know.
> 
> I've posted links to some of the more interesting dishes in the throughout the chapter so you can see what they look like.

* * *

 

“Remember what I said.”  
“Yeah, yeah. Mind your manners, watch your language, don’t fidget, blah blah blah…”

The restaurant is unlike any other restaurant Yuri has ever seen - varying shades of grey beautifully complement the colourful yellow chairs at the dining tables and the teal ones at the bar. The bar is topped with grey marble and covered almost completely in gold coloured panelling, the wall behind it painted black and decorated with a gold geometric pattern. When Yuri thinks of a fancy restaurant he thinks dark wooden tables, red velvet chairs and classic art, not whatever the hell this is. Not that he's complaining, he thinks this place looks cool as hell.

The rest of the party is already seated at the table when they arrive – Otabek introduces the elder Russian man as Yakov Feltsman, the other Russian as his foster son Viktor Nikiforov, and the nerdy-looking Japanese man as Viktor’s fiance, whose name also happens to be Yuuri.

The blonde peruses the menu and quickly starts to get stressed out - he can't understand half of what he's reading. He finds himself wondering what the hell stuff like ' _carpaccio_ ' and ' _confit de canard'_ is and how to pronounce it, and let's not even get started on how much everything costs.

"Where are you going?" Otabek enquires when Yuri suddenly stands up. The table goes silent and everyone looks at him.

"Uh, to the restroom. Uhm... Excuse me."

"It's up the stairs, to the right. Should I order for you?"

"Yes, please." Yuri smiles, grateful that he won't have to deal with the menu again.

  

** First Course: [Meat Fruit](https://www.eater.com/2014/7/11/6196141/meat-fruit-at-dinner-by-heston-blumenthal-in-london)**

_Chicken liver and foie gras parfait served inside mandarin jelly served with grilled sourdough bread._

 

The first course is served and Yuri is completely and utterly confused. On the plate before him is an orange citrus fruit with a slice of toast, and he has no idea what to make of it. He has so many questions... Is he supposed to eat them separately or should he put the fruit on the toast? Does he eat it with his hands? If not, which knife and fork should he use? What fruit is it anyway - is it just a very small orange or is it one of the many other orange coloured citrus fruits?

He takes a sip of the red wine the waiter just placed in front of him, deciding to wait for one of the other men to start eating so he could copy them.

He watches intently as Otabek slices through the fruit (which Yuri learns is supposed to be a mandarin) with a butter knife - it turns out it's not a mandarin at all, but a spread of some sort disguised as a mandarin for reasons that Yuri can't begin to fathom.

 _These fucking rich people..._  

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't impressed - it does look exactly like a mandarin right down to the texture, and despite how obnoxious he thinks it is he has to admit that it tastes pretty damn delicious. The sweetness of the mandarin jelly balances out the earthy, mildly metallic flavour of the liver perfectly.

 

"You'd better finish your wine. The next course will be coming soon."

"What's the rush?"

"We ordered the 8-course set menu with wine pairing."

"Eight courses? That's so much food!"

"The portion sizes are smaller than usual."

"...and I get a different glass of wine with each meal?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm... guess who's getting wasted tonight,' he says softly to himself with a mischievous smile on his face.

 

** Second Course: Chestnut and Wild Mushroom Soup **

_Chestnut and Wild Mushroom soup made with crème fraîche, whiskey apples and mustard oil._

 

Next up is a soup dish. Soup is easy, Yuri doesn't need to stress about cutlery this time because he remembers which spoon he needs to use. It's a gross brown colour, so Yuri doesn't expect much but he's blown away by the creamy, earthy flavour and velvety texture. This dish is paired with white wine, he recalls the waiter calling it a chardonnay - it's deliciously fruity and acidic, doing a good job of balancing out the rich creaminess of the soup.

He watches Viktor across the table who's trying to keep up with Yakov and Otabek but it's quite obvious he's not really following - the lights are on but nobody's home.

_Man, that guy looks like an idiot..._

 

** Third Course: [Sound of the Sea](https://thebigfatundertaking.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/sound-of-the-sea-361.jpg)**

_Tapioca, fried breadcrumb and crushed fried baby eel "sand" topped with abalone, clam and shrimp served with shellfish foam and edible seaweed._

The next dish was another  _"what the fuck?"_  moment for Yuri. He hears the waiter announce the dish as "Sound of the Sea" but he wasn't expecting it to be meant literally. The meal looks like an actual beach, complete with sand, seaweed and seafoam, and then there's the finishing touch - a seashell that has a small iPod in it with some earphones. The four other men don't seem to think that this is out of the ordinary, instead, they proceed to place the earphones in their ears and start eating, so Yuri does the same. He expects to hear music but instead, he hears the crashing of waves, the sound of a light breeze, and seagulls in the background - the _literal_ sound of the sea.

He scoops away some of the foam to investigate and finds some shrimp and other seafood underneath. He follows the others' lead and scoops up some "sand", foam and a shrimp and puts it in his mouth.

Other than the shrimp itself, he's not entirely sure what the hell he's eating but at least he's enjoying it. The waiter shows up a moment later to spray a mist into the air around them which, you guessed it, smells like the ocean. The whole thing is kind of absurd but he has to admit, the aroma and sounds of the ocean are quite relaxing.

"Otabek?"

"Hmmm?"

"What exactly is this sand-looking stuff?"

"Breadcrumbs, eel and tapioca if I'm not mistaken."

"Tapi- what?"

"Tapioca. It's a long story, I can explain it to you later OK?"

Yuri nods and enjoys another bite while Otabek turns to talk to Yakov again.

"Yuuuuri! Doesn't this remind you of the ocean at Hasetsu? We must go visit your parents again soon! Let's go next month? Yuuuuuuriiiii!" Viktor exclaims, practically smothering his fiance with affection. His cheeks are slightly flushed and Yuri guesses he's starting to feel the effects of the wine. He finds him to be quite annoying, too overdramatic and noisy, and he doesn't quite understand the relationship dynamic between him and the much quieter Asian.

"We're visiting them in two weeks remember? After the wedding?"

"Right! I forgot..."

"Of course you did," the Asian man sighs and downs his entire glass of wine.

 

** Fourth Course: Green Monochroma Salad **

_Spinach, celery, grapes, green apple, pumpkin seeds and poppy seeds served with a white wine vinaigrette._

 

The fourth course consists of a salad, which is definitely not one of Yuri's favourite things to eat. What makes it even less appetizing is the fact that everything is green, right down to the plate.

 _Shit! Which fork am I supposed to use for this?_   _Salad fork, salad fork. Which one is the salad fork again?_ The blonde fumbles around between the forks on the table, not sure which one to use.

"Don't worry, I've been living with Viktor for seven years and I still get confused sometimes," Yuuri says softly, the other three men preoccupied in their own conversation. He smiles warmly, and discreetly taps one of his own forks, "Use this one."

The blonde nods shyly, "Thank you."

 

The two eat in relative silence for a few minutes before Yuri decides to make conversation - three glasses of wine down and it's clearly starting to take effect. 

"So what work do you do?" he asks the Japanese man.

"I used to be a professional figure skater but I retired a few years ago. I coach now."

"Wow! Have you ever been to the Olympics?"

"I was at the Sochi Olympics in 2014."

"My precious Yuuri took silver! Isn't that great?" Viktor butts in. 

"Viktor..." Yuuri blushed.

Viktor pays him no mind, "I wish I could have competed with him but I was already retired by then, but I was there as his coach! Now my little pork cutlet bowl is a wonderful coach and his students are winning medals left and right! Ah... my precious Yuuri..."

"Thanks, Viktor, "he shuffles nervously, and in an attempt to avert the attention away from himself he asks, "Uhm, so what do you do for a living Yuri?"

The blonde man's mouth opens and closes several times, not sure what to say. Otabek gently squeezes his thigh under the table to reassure him before answering on his behalf, "He works under me."

Yuri nearly spits out his drink, desperately trying not to burst out laughing at the underlying connotation.

The brunette quickly realizes what he said, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly and he quickly follows it up with, “He’s an employee of mine."

Luckily the three other men seem to be oblivious, and the two share a secret smile before continuing with their respective conversations.

 

"The closest thing to figure skating I've ever done is ballet. They're kind of similar right? I mean, figure skating is like dancing, but on ice," Yuri starts up the conversation with the Japanese man again.

"A lot of figure skaters are actually also skilled in ballet. Figure skating and ballet often go hand-in-hand."

"How about you?"

Yuuri nods, "Though, I'm out of practice and not as flexible as I used to be. Do you still do ballet?"

"No, but I try my best to maintain my flexibility," the blonde smiles sadly, "I really miss it though."

"Why did you stop?"

"Life just got in the way I guess." 

 

** Fifth Course: Roast Pigeon **

_Roast pigeon served with endive, black truffles and a star anise sauce._

 

"Yuuuuuri! Aren't you excited for the next course? We haven't had truffles in such a long time!" Viktor coos at his fiance, tugging him into yet another hug.

_Gross..._

Yuri still hasn't gotten used to the fact that he's not the only Yuri at the table. Every time Viktor says the name he keeps thinking he's referring to him and not the Japanese man sitting to his right. It was all very confusing, but he heard the mention of truffles so he was excited.

The blonde was confused for the umpteenth time that evening when the food reached the table - two of the smallest chicken drumsticks he'd ever seen, some nondescript white vegetable which may or may not be an onion, and a drizzling of sauce.

He leans over to Otabek and whispers, "Where's the chocolate?"

"Chocolate? You want to eat chocolate with pigeon?"

"Viktor said something about truffles... wait, did you say pigeon?"

"Yes. Pigeon," the brunette repeats.

"So this isn't chicken?"

"No."

"And the truffles?"

"The type of truffles he's referring to is a type of fungi. Kind of like a mushroom."

"So this white stuff is the truffles?"

"No, that's endive."

"What the fu..." the blonde clears his throat, "what is endive?"

"A leaf vegetable."

"Right... So, where are the truffles then?"

"The black stuff."

Yuri frowns and inspects his plate more closely but quickly figures it out - he previously thought that the meat was slightly charred but the black bits turn out to be truffle shavings.

  

** Sixth Course: Palate Cleanser **

_Strawberry and champagne[sorbet](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fd/d9/7d/fdd97de31de0a2ab519346e071de213a.jpg)._

 

Somewhere along the way, Yuuri has gotten rid of his glasses, and it's like he's a completely different person all of a sudden. He's more confident, very flirty and almost as obnoxious as his future husband.

Not only does Yuri lose his conversation partner, but Viktor is no longer even part of business discussions - not that Yuri thinks he was keeping up in the first place. Somewhere along the line, he picked up that Viktor was going to get involved in the business in some way or another. If that's the case then they've got a bad thing coming.

The waiter brings a round of martini each filled sorbet shaped into a single pink and white rose. The presentation is stunning, almost too pretty to eat. _Almost_...

He eats a big spoonful and his face distorts - he purses his lips in response to the tartness and shuts his eyes tightly in reaction to the brain freeze he is experiencing at the same time.

He vaguely hears Yakov shouting at VIktor in the distance, something about him not taking things seriously.

"You OK there?" Otabek's voice pops up beside him.

The blonde nods and opens his eyes, but he's still frowning. "Sour... Brain freeze," he explains, pointing to the different areas on his face.

The brunette huffs a small laugh, "You kind of look like a kid throwing a tantrum. It's quite endearing."

"Shut up..." he says quietly through clenched teeth, careful to not let the other men hear him.

 

** Seventh Course: Savoury Tart **

_Beetroot, goats cheese and caramelized onion tartlet._

 

"This looks amazing," the blonde states excitedly when he sees the dish in front of him: puff pastry filled with what he assumes to be red berries topped with what looks like a dollop of thick cream.

He frowns when he takes his first bite.

"Everything OK?" Otabek asks.

"I thought this was berries and cream but it's not..."

The brunette nods, "Beetroot, caramelised onions and goats cheese."

Yuri takes another bite but doesn't say anything.

"You don't like it?" Otabek asks.

"No, it's really nice, it just kind of fu... I mean... messed with my head. Kind of like when you to take a sip from a glass and expect it to be water but it ends up being vodka."

Otabek smiles at that analogy, "Right."

The brunette turns back to Yakov to continue their conversation, but things go downhill very quickly.

"I've heard enough!" Yakov suddenly shouts, garnering the attention of half the restaurant. His face is red and Yuri is sure he's about to pop a vein in his head. The blonde thought everything was going well, but then again he wasn't really paying attention to the "business talk" at all.

The blonde's eyes narrow and he opens his mouth to say something but stops when he feels Otabek's hand squeeze his thigh.

"This isn't over Altin, not by a long shot," the older man throws his napkin down on the table and stomps out of the restaurant.

As if a drunk Viktor isn't bad enough, Japanese Yuuri is starting to get a bit out of hand too - they're practically making out at the table at this stage and it's utterly disgusting.

"That's not good..." Yuuri states the obvious but starts to giggle again as his fiance whispers something in his ear that makes his face go even redder. Yuri doesn't even want to know...

"Whoops, well we should get going too then!" Viktor suddenly shoots up smiling broadly, "No hard feelings hmm? You're still coming to the wedding right? Please come to the wedding and bring _your_ Yuri along!"

Otabek nods and reaches out to shake the other two men's hands, "It was nice seeing you again Viktor. Yuuri. Thank you for your time."

Yuuri shakes the blonde's hand, "It was nice to meet you, Russian Yuri."

"It was nice to meet you too, Japanese Yuuri."

 

** Eighth Course: [Passion Flower](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-yWJLYzslM)**

_Coconut and passionfruit dessert served in a white chocolate flower with a warm coconut, lime and vanilla sauce._

 

And then there were two...

"... do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now."

"Well, I guess we should get going then..."

"There's still one course left."

"Oh. But if you're not in the mood we can just leave..."

"I want you to try this one, you're going to love it."

As if on cue, the waiter arrives with the last dish. It looks like a flower that is ready to bloom, and it has something inside it that Yuri can't quite make out. The waiter pours a warm white sauce into the bowl around the flower and the leaves start to unfurl, revealing something white in the middle, topped with a purple flower made of jelly. The scent of coconut and vanilla fills Yuri's nose.

The blonde's eyes light up as he watches with his mouth hanging open, he has never seen anything quite like it.

This dessert is phenomenal with every bite tasting better than the last and he keeps on discovering something new - there's coconut sponge, mousse and jelly, passionfruit jelly and curd, white chocolate, sesame seeds, the list goes on.

"Oh. My. God. Beka, that was so fucking cool! I didn't know shit like this even existed!" Yuri exclaims when they're alone again, quickly returning to his old self.

"I thought I told you not to call me that," the corners of his mouth turn up slightly.

"No, you said you wouldn't respond if I did. But you did respond," the blonde winks at him.

This comment causes a smile - an actual, full-blown smile - to spread across the brunette's face. It's warm and pleasant and it softens his eyes. It's like looking at a completely different person - someone with the same chiselled jaw and cheekbones, strong brows and full lips but with warm, inviting eyes and dimples. Yes, Otabek Altin actually has dimples.

"You have a beautiful smile. Why don't you smile more often?" the blonde asks without thinking.

"It's the dimples."

"Huh?"

"The dimples. I hate them."

"Well, that's just dumb. They're, like, your only redeeming quality. Geez, no wonder you've had to hire a hooker to be your date, you're clueless."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story develops a bit more in the next chapter and we find out what's up with Yakov.
> 
> I had Yuuri win silver at the 2014 Olympics because everyone is aged up here. Viktor is about 35 which makes Yuuri about 31 or somewhere along those lines. In 2014 he would have been around 27 so it would have still been possible for him to be competitive. In my head, he retired just after the Olympics. Hope that makes sense? Also, Yuuri and Viktor were both still into figure skating though Yakov wasn't Viktor's coach, and Minako and Yuuko aren't from Hasetsu nor do they know Yuuri. Hope this makes sense, I don't know I'm sleep deprived.
> 
> Here is the inspiration for the theme of the restaurant: http://canadas100best.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Untitled-design-25.jpg


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otabek is feeling down and talkative, and they delve into both his and Yuri's past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit dialogue heavy. Also, there's a little bit of fluff!

* * *

 

Otabek moves a chair to the edge of the balcony door and takes a seat.

"I thought you said you never come out here?" the blonde asks from where he stands against the edge of the balcony.

"I'm only halfway out."

"You didn't say much in the car on the way here. You bothered about what happened at dinner? That guy was being an asshole."

Otabek just sighs in response so Yuri continues, "So I'm guessing he doesn't want to let the company go?"

"Mr. Feltsman doesn't want to sell the business because he knows it's worth more than I'm willing to pay."

"Why did he want to sell it anyway?"

"They're in too much debt, things aren't going well."

The blonde nods. "What will he do now then?"

"He decided that he wants to hand it over to Viktor."

"What the fuck? That moron? I could do a better job, and that's really not saying much."

"Mr. Feltsman doesn't like the idea of 40+ years of his hard work being sold off like car parts."

"But why Viktor? Surely there's someone else?"

"He has good contacts, rich friends."

"But he's an airhead and he's so... so extra."

"Extra?"

"Yeah. Like, over-the-top. Dramatic. Geez, you really are an old geezer aren't you?"

Otabek chuckles, "I guess so."

Yuri lifts himself up to sit on the edge of the balcony with his back facing away from the view.

"Hmmm. Problem is, I think you quite like Mr. Feltsman, perhaps even respect him..." Yuri says with teasing tone.

"What I would like is for you to get down from there."

"Is this making you nervous?" the blonde mocks, leaning backwards, "and what if I lean back a little like this?"

"Yuri, I'm serious," Otabek turns his head away, "I'm not looking."

"It's really high... Look, no hands!" Yuri antagonises him a bit further, waving his hands above his head.

"Yuri."

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," he pushes himself off to stand against the ledge again.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter if I respect Mr. Feltsman or not, I refuse to let emotions get mixed up with business."

The blonde nods in understanding, "Yeah, I know... Mila taught me not to get emotionally attached to clients. That's why there's no kissing on the mouth, it's too intimate."

After a brief silence, Otabek says "It seems you and I are quite similar creatures. We both screw people for money."

Yuri nods again and another silence follows.

"So... do you actually want to talk about this?"

"No."

The blonde's face lights up, "I've got an idea. Let's watch movies all night and just veg out in bed?"

"Veg out huh?"

"Yeah, be still like vegetables."

"I know what it means."

"Can't be too sure, old man."

 

* * *

 

They both take a shower and get settled in bed, the blonde man snuggling up in an oversized green hoodie that belongs to Otabek. Yuri puts on a 1980's film called _"The Lion Diaries"_ , about a woman who travels to Africa to meet her long-lost father who lives with lions. The film isn't considered to be particularly good, but Yuri loves cats - domestic or wild, it doesn't matter.

It becomes clear very quickly that they won't be watching the movie - the brunette is needy and affectionate, and despite what he said earlier he does indeed want to talk, just not about Yakov Feltsman.

Yuri sits up cross-legged against some cushions, Otabek lying on his stomach with his arms wrapped around the blonde man's waist and his head nuzzling into his chest.

 

"I have a younger sister, Milana. She's 17 now."

"10 years younger than you? That's quite the age difference."

"I was planned, she wasn't," Otabek chuckles before becoming sombre again, "I haven't seen her since she was 12."

"What happened?" Yuri enquires, running his hand through the short hair of the other man's undercut.

"My father found out about the relationship I had with the guy in college and he forced everyone to cut off contact with me."

"Geez..."

"Yeah. I miss her."

"How about your mom?"

"She passed away not too long after that. I wasn't allowed to go to her funeral."

"I'm sorry that happened to you," Yuri says softly.

The brunette smiles sadly, "It was a long time ago."

"Still sucks ass."

"Yeah... I sort of got my revenge though."

"How?"

"The third company I ever bought was his. They ran into trouble with debt so I did what I usually do - bought it for a lower value than it was actually worth, broke it up and sold it in pieces. He wasn't very happy about that, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't get some kind of satisfaction from it."

The blonde huffed a dry laugh, "Glad you managed to get him back somehow."

"How about you?"

"What about me?"

"Tell me about your family."

"Well... my mother was a crack whore and I never found out who my father is. I don't think she knew either. I don't remember much about her to be honest. She'd leave me at home alone for hours on end, and she'd often have strange men lurking around. She died of an overdose when I was 5, so my grandpa took me in."

"What was he like?"

"He was a great man, the only person I've ever loved. When I showed interest in ballet he supported me. I don't even know how he managed to pay for my classes but he took me to practice every day," Yuri smiles fondly, "We didn't have money for a TV so our main source of entertainment was reading. It was the highlight of my day to listen to him read to me while we sat in front of the fireplace."

"You were lucky to have him in your life."

"Yeah..."

"Why did you stop doing ballet?"

"When grandpa got sick I had to start working so we could make ends meet. Ballet didn't fit into my schedule or my budget."

"What work did you do?"

"Manual labour," Otabek raises an eyebrow at that and Yuri follows with, "I know it's odd for me, but I took what I could get."

A comfortable silence falls over them, both lost in their own heads and Otabek eventually falls asleep in Yuri's arms.

 

* * *

 

 

By the time Yuri gets out the bath, Otabek is dressed and ready to leave for the day. He accidentally knocks over Yuri's bag causing two books to fall out, and the blonde quickly starts going into a blind panic.

"I'm so sorry! I know I was supposed to buy clothes, but I bought those on impulse but I promise I was going to return them today, please don't be mad, I'm so s..."

" _Russian Fairytales_ by Alexander Afanasyev, and _The Tale of Genji_ by Murasaki Shikibu..."

"I'm so sorry, please don't be mad..."

"I'm not mad."

"It's just that I went to this store yesterday and they were very rude to me, so when I walked past this bookshop I couldn't help myself. I needed something to cheer me up, and I really like books. Grandpa used to read Russian Fairytales to me when I was growing up so..." the blonde starts rambling again.

"Yuri. Relax," he did as he was told, and once he calmed down a bit Otabek continued, "You said something about people being rude to you?"

"Yeah..." the blonde looked at the ground while fidgeting with his fingers, "I was looking for a suit so I walked into a store and they basically kicked me out. They just looked down on me and told me I didn't belong there. The only reason I had a suit for last night is because Minako called in a favour with a friend."

"You didn't manage to get any other clothes?"

The blonde shakes his head.

"Get dressed. I'm going to take a couple of hours off and we'll go together."

"Really?"

Otabek nods, "and don't worry about the books. Please, keep them."

 

* * *

 

"Good morning sir, how can we assist?" a shop assistant approaches Otabek when they walk into the store.

"May I please speak to the manager?"

"No problem sir, just one moment."

A few moments later, a flamboyant man appears from the back of the shop, wearing a pink three-piece suit.

"Good day sir, my name is Christophe. I'm the manager - how can I be of service?" he introduces himself with a very feminine sounding accent.

"Otabek Altin," the brunette shakes his hand, "Christophe, do you see this beautiful man standing next to me?"

Yuri's face goes blood red, something that hasn't happened since he was a teenager.

Christophe starts circling the blonde, tapping his chin, "Hmmm... we have a real diamond in the rough here, but I think..."

Otabek cuts him off, pulling him to the side so that Yuri can't hear them, "We're going to be spending an obscene amount of money here today, so we're going to need a lot of sucking up. Understand?"

"Perfectly sir, if I might say so myself I believe you've come to the right place."

"Good."

Christophe closes the store down completely so that their main focus is on Yuri. He sits the blonde down to talk about his likes and dislikes, intently making notes before he gathers the shop assistants to discuss their game plan.

"We're going to have a wonderful time here today sweetie okay?" he claps his hands twice, "Mary-Kate, Mary-Anne, Mary-Sue, come on let's see it!"

Otabek watches from a distance, busy setting up his laptop while Yuri is swarmed with outfits and receiving compliments left, right and centre. 

"Honey, your hair is _to_   _die_ for."

"Your figure was made to wear something like this."

"This colour will really bring out those gorgeous eyes of yours."

  

Yuri tries on a variety of outfits - some elegant and formal, some more casual and comfortable.  He shows off some of the clothes to get Otabek's opinion - the black leather jacket gets a yes, the striped hoodie gets a maybe, and the red velvet blazer gets a  _hell no_.

  

"Mr. Altin, sir?" Christophe saunters over with swaying hips, "How's it going so far? Pretty well I think?"

"I think we're going to need a bit more sucking up."

Christophe straightens his suit, before putting on a slightly more flirty tone,  "You're not only handsome but a powerful man. I could see..."

The brunette cuts him off, "Christophe."

"Yes, sir?"

"Not me. Him," he points in Yuri's direction.

"I'm sorry sir, right away," he bows his head slightly and goes to check on Yuri and his posse of stylists.

 

Otabek packs up his laptop after he gets a call from J.J. "I have to get back to work. You look great," he gives Yuri a dimpled smile while gently stroking his upper arm before he turns to Christophe, "He has my credit card."

"And we'll help him use it sir," he responds smugly and turns back to Yuri, "Darling, you are just looking fabulous!"

"Oh my God did you see those dimples?" the one assistant whispers to the other, making Yuri smile.

 

"Oooh, that tie kicks ass!" Yuri points at the black and gold leopard print tie around the shoe fitter's neck.

"James, you heard the man. Take off your tie."

"Excuse me?"

"Your tie, James!"

He does as he is told, scrambling to get it off as soon as possible and hands it to Yuri.

"Your pizza has arrived sir..." Mary-Sue announces, and the blonde devours it while James continues with the fitting process.

 

Yuri changes into a plain white t-shirt, dark blue jeans, a black jacket and a pair of black boots, and has the rest sent back to the hotel.

He visits a tailor nearby which Otabek recommended to have a couple of suits custom made after which he decides to stop by the store that kicked him out the day before.

"Good day sir, can I help you?" the shop assistant from the previous day greets with a fake smile.

"Do you remember me?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"I was here yesterday, and you wouldn't help me?"

Sudden realization dawns on her, "Oh..."

"You work on commission right?"

"Uh, yes," she shuffles nervously.

"You made a big mistake bitch. Fucking huge," Yuri doesn't wait for a response before he walks out the door, leaving customers and staff alike with gaping mouths.

 

He returns to the hotel and Minako smiles warmly when she sees him walk through the lobby in his new, more appropriate clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A picture of Yuri and Otabek cuddling (it's so cute!): http://hawberries.tumblr.com/image/154827565137 (link updated)  
> -  
> When trying to think of an outfit for Christophe my mind went straight to Matt Preston from Masterchef Australia, so I just went with it LOL. Here's the outfit: http://images.indianexpress.com/2016/06/matt-preston1_759.jpg  
> -  
> Yuri's new leopard print tie: http://www.asos.com/asos/asos-gold-leopard-print-tie/prd/9032658


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are links within this chapter that leads to the things I mention so you can see what they look like if you feel that way inclined - in some cases, I didn't go into detail about someone's outfit but I did add a link to their name so you can see what I imagined they'd be wearing. I will also link to a Pinterest mood board at the end, which just has a bunch of weird and interesting fashion stuff that I used for inspiration and outfits I almost decided to use instead - if you can't tell I had too much fun picking out outfits for everyone!

* * *

 

Otabek gets back to the hotel after a long busy day at work. The lights are dim, there are candles and food on the table and then there is Yuri...

"How was your day dear?" the blonde smirks, sitting on a dining chair with his feet up on the table. His hair is up in a messy bun and he's completely naked except for the tie around his neck.

"Nice tie."

Yuri gestures to the food on the table, "Dinner?"

"Think I'd like some dessert first," the brunette raises an eyebrow and takes off his jacket.

Yuri takes the hint, struts over to Otabek and slips off his shirt once he's done unbuttoning it.

He grabs the other man's hand and places it where he can feel the cool metal tucked between his butt cheeks, "Ready when you are."

A low growl escapes the brunette's throat and he pushes Yuri up against one of the windows overlooking the city. He drops his pants and slips on the condom and some lube that the blonde conveniently placed on the nearby desk before removing the golden plug and filling him up with his aching erection instead. The blonde gasps, not expecting him to be so to the point in comparison to the first time they had sex.

Otabek's thrusts are fast and rough, hungry for release - this time around there are no bells and whistles, it's all just quick and dirty.

He rests his forehead against the back of Yuri's neck as he rides out his orgasm.

 

* * *

  

After a quick dinner, Yuri runs a bubble bath and invites Otabek to join him.

"So, tell me about this [tattoo ](https://www.tattoofilter.com/p/21143)of yours," the blonde taps the other man's thigh from the opposite side of the tub.

Otabek lifts his leg up enough for Yuri to see it - flowers and leaves arranged in the shape of a crescent moon.

"My mother's maiden name was Kulai, which means 'moonflower'. I got it in her memory after she passed on."

"It's beautiful."

"Thanks... The tattoo on my back, now that's a different story."

"Oh, I haven't seen it?"

He turns around to reveal a teddy bear holding a beer bottle on his right shoulder blade.

"What the fuck?"

"It's the bear from the movie Ted."

Yuri squints at him, "I know that, moron. But... why?"

"I lost a bet in college," he admits sheepishly.

"Do I even want to know?"

"Even if you wanted to I wouldn't tell you."

They relax in silence for a bit and Otabek puts some shampoo in his hair.

Yuri scoots closer to the middle of the tub with a mischievous grin on his face, "Hey, come a little bit closer."

The brunette frowns but complies, and meets him halfway.

"Look down."

Once again, he silently complies, and the blonde starts doing something with his hair.

"OK, look up."

"OK...?"

Yuri starts giggling, "Who would've guessed that the serious Mr. Altin can pull off a mohawk?"

The brunette smiles warmly, "I occasionally styled it that way in college."

"You're joking?"

"Not at all."

"What the hell Beka?" he burst out into a fit of giggles, "You used to style your hair into a mohawk, and you got a silly tattoo because you lost a bet in college. What else should I know about your wild college years?"

"I used to do DJ gigs in my spare time."

"Now you're just screwing with me."

"I'm dead serious."

"Oh my fucking... did you have a DJ name?"

He hesitates "...I did."

"Tell me?"

"No."

"It's really embarrassing isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Pleeeaaassseee?" he whines.

"Not a chance."

"What if I give you a scalp massage?"

Otabek considers for a moment, "Maybe."

Yuri scoots back towards the edge of the bath and motions for Otabek to turn around. 

 

* * *

 

"You should wear this [tie](http://www.asos.com/asos/asos-gold-leopard-print-tie/prd/9032658)," Yuri hands the black and gold leopard print tie to Otabek.

"I don't do animal print."

"But the theme is Back To Eden and there's a theme for a reason!"

"I've never dressed according to themes and no one has had a problem with it before."

"Come on, don't be lame," the blonde whines, "It'll look nice on you and the print is subtle. I think it's pretty damn classy."

"No."

"Bekaaaa..." he pouts.

Otabek sighs, "Fine. But only because it'll get you off my back."

Yuri smiles brightly, "Come here, I'll put it on for you."

Otabek frowns, clearly not impressed but does as he says. He eyes Yuri's outfit - black slacks and shirt, and a predominantly white suit jacket with black splotches, patches of leopard print and gold filigree patterns.

"That [jacket ](http://joburgnorth.getitonline.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2015/05/Hot-Sale-New-2015-Floral-Gold-Mens-Clothing-font-b-Blazer-b-font-Casual-Leopard-Print.jpg)you're wearing is quite... loud. It suits your personality."

"Wow, you're snarky today."

"Guess you're rubbing off on me."

Yuri laughs at that and takes a step back to admire his handiwork, "There, all done. It looks good on you."

Otabek looks into the mirror and admits it doesn't look bad at all, it's a nice break from his usual black and white colour palette.

"Ready to go?"

 

 

The limo drops them off at the Beverly Hills Racecourse to attend the 158th annual Sun Met horseracing event.

"Try not to gawk too much."

"What would I be gawking at?"

"People generally go all out for these sorts of events. The outfits can be quite outlandish."

"Have you seen my jacket?"

"Compared to some of the dresses the women tend to wear, your jacket is quite mild."

"It can't be _that_ bad."

"You'll see. A lot of important people will be attending today, so please behave. And _please_ don't call me Beka in front of other people."

"I won't make any promises," Yuri smirks.

The brunette sighs but doesn't respond.

 

 

As Otabek predicted, Yuri is trying not to gawk but failing.

There are thousands upon thousands of people in attendance, Yuri doesn't think he has ever been in the presence of so many people all at once. And the fashion...

Otabek really wasn't joking when he said it would be outlandish. [Shoes ](https://za.pinterest.com/pin/287456388700174183/)that look like hooves, [hairstyles ](http://wickedreport.com/10-amazing-strange-hair-style/)shaped to look like animals, hair accessories towering with [flowers ](http://www.pinkrebelblog.com/kiss-tell/)and [paper butterflies](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7a/36/62/7a366227a04eb640561abc2535d9e33d.jpg), and when he thought he'd seen the craziest of them all, he finds something even more absurd - a woman wearing a feathered [dress ](https://za.pinterest.com/pin/287456388700173624/)with two taxidermied birds perched on her shoulders and one in her hair.

"Are those real birds?"

"Looks like it."

"Woah, that's creepy." he discreetly snaps a picture and sends it to Mila.

"You shouldn't take photos of people without their permission. It's weird."

"Weirder than wearing literal dead birds as a fucking fashion accessory?"

"That's not the point."

Yuri sticks out his tongue. "I'm just sending it to Mila, I'm not going to do anything weird with it."

They walk further and pass a woman wearing a [dress](https://za.pinterest.com/pin/287456388700173558/)made entirely of fresh flowers.

"How the hell is she going to sit down in that thing?"

"She probably can't."

"Don't tell me she's not going to sit down all day just so she can wear a stupid dress."

"More than likely, it's not uncommon."

"What the hell? That's stupid."

Otabek shrugs, "Beauty is pain, or so they say."

 

They walk past several large white marquee tents before they reach theirs, which is extravagantly decorated with vines and flowers. There's a large table of finger foods, a huge chocolate fountain, a bar in the corner and even a station where a chef is preparing fresh sushi to order. Couches and lounge chairs are scattered about the tent decorated with fluffy animal print cushions, some arranged around big flatscreen TV's providing them with a live feed of the events taking place on the course without having to leave the tent.

"Otabek, buddy! How's it going?" JJ greets with a champagne glass in hand, clearly already a bit tipsy.

Otabek greets him with a nod, and puts his hand around the blonde man resting it on his hip, "JJ, this is Yuri."

He shakes Yuri's hand, "So this is the mystery date you were talking about. You know, I'm surprised Otabek, I thought that thing you had with Ben back in college was just a phase but here you are with a guy as your date."

Otabek discreetly squeezes Yuri's hip, quietly warning him to keep calm.

"Evidentally that's not the case," the brunette responds coolly.

"I guess blondes have always been your type though, at least you're consistent!" JJ chuckles and hands Yuri his untouched glass of champagne, "Take this so long, I'll grab myself a new one."

"Uh, thanks..."

He turns back to Otabek, "Come say hi everyone. [Isabella ](https://lyrota.deviantart.com/art/Persephone-Back-414513456)is here somewhere and even the Crispino twins are attending."

The brunette nods again, "I'll catch up with you later." He directs Yuri towards one of the couches on the other side of the tent.

"I can already tell I'm going to hate that guy," Yuri states.

"Don't take anything JJ says to heart. He doesn't have a filter and doesn't know when to shut up," he tells the blonde, "He's a bit of an idiot really."

"But he's your friend."

"He's my lawyer," he corrects.

"Ah, I should've known he was a lawyer."

"How so?"

"He's got that... sharp, useless look about him."

Otabek huffs a laugh, "Sharp?"

"I mean the way he dresses, not his intelligence."

 They approach a group of three people who appear to be having a disagreement.

"If you want to date my sister you have to go through me!" the one man practically snarls at the other with a thick Italian accent.

"Mickey! Calm down, we were just planning on grabbing some coffee together sometime," the woman complains.

Despite the fact that Yuri has never been interested in women he has to admit that she looks absolutely stunning. Her [dress ](https://za.pinterest.com/pin/287456388700165624/)is made of different shades of pink, purple and white silk flowers with a pink corset around her waist and her raven [hair ](https://za.pinterest.com/pin/287456388700174023/)is up in an elaborate bun adorned with the same flowers as her dress. The colours compliment her tanned-skin beautifully and make her violet eyes really stand out.

"Otabek!" she beams, the first to notice them, "It's so good to see you!" She pulls him into an unexpected hug which he awkwardly returns.

He introduces her as Sara Crispino and the Italian man as her twin brother Michele, both heirs to a substantial banking empire. The other man is [Emil ](http://www.dynamicgamers.es/ropa-americana-slim-con-estampado-de-leopardo-hombre-sp-1282.html)Nekola, CEO of a large aviation manufacturing company in the Czech Republic.

After a few minutes of conversation, Otabek is pulled away into another nearby conversation, leaving Yuri alone with the group.

"So, you're the flavour of the month," Michele remarks bitterly.

Emil sighs, "Don't mind him, he's just being testy."

"Otabek's our most eligible bachelor, so everybody's trying to land him," adds Sara.

"Well, I'm not trying to land him, I'm just using him for sex," Yuri quips without missing a beat before he turns around and walks away, leaving Sara, Michele and Emil gawking.

 

 

"See? That Michele guy didn't bother dressing up according to the theme and he's so fucking lame," Yuri states when they're alone again.

"His [suit ](https://marcdarcy.co.uk/three-piece-suit-with-contrast-detailing-3596.html)was purple, I thought that was your favourite colour?"

"It's a nice suit, but he could have gone with purple animal print or something."

Otabek frowns as he thinks of that combination. A moment later someone walks past with that exact outfit, and it's so much worse than he could have ever imagined.

"His relationship with his sister is fucking weird. The way he carries on you'd think he was her boyfriend, not her brother," the blonde continues.

"You're not the only one who thinks that." 

After a few moments of silence, the blonde asks, "So, these people are your friends?"

"I spend time with them," the brunette neither confirms nor denies.

"No wonder..."

"No wonder what?"

"No wonder you came looking for me."

 When he doesn't respond, Yuri continues, "You're not yourself when you're around them."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't smile or laugh like when we're alone. You hardly speak and you're very tense. You look dead behind the eyes."

They're interrupted by the sound of nearby cheering coming from the group lounging around the nearest TV, another race has apparently just been concluded.

"You're not placing bets?" Yuri asks.

"I don't gamble."

"Yet another thing to add to the list of things that Otabek Altin doesn't do..."

"I have better things to do with my money." 

"Yeah, that makes sense. I've never really had money to throw around like that and I couldn't afford to risk losing it all, you know."

Otabek nods. "You should get something to eat."

Of course, Yuri heads straight for the chocolate fountain, picking up a strawberry cut into the shape of a blooming rose and smothering it in chocolate.

 

At one point they pass Phichit Chulanont, someone Yuri only knows about because Mila follows him on Instagram. He is the most followed person on Instagram and which has helped him gain a lot of fame and several modelling contracts. He struts past looking like a literal pimp, wearing a faux fur [jacket](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d5/92/42/d59242dd342dfd841dba7980d0cccb22--mens-fur-coats-coats-for-men.jpg). He's sandwiched between [two ](https://assets.vogue.com/photos/55df66912235ce072dd06db6/master/pass/jean-paul-gaultier-spring-2014-couture-runway-23.jpg)women, one on each side, with his hands wrapped around them resting on their hips. Yuri was quite amused by the one woman's hair - a large [afro ](https://za.pinterest.com/pin/849702654669073568/)made entirely of small, fresh flowers - and once again discreetly snaps a picture of the three to send to Mila.

 

Yuri catches up with [Viktor ](https://images.google.co.za/imgres?imgurl=https://cdna.lystit.com/photos/d4ce-2014/01/28/lanvin-black-leopard-print-suit-jacket-product-1-17094996-3-075554309-normal.jpeg&imgrefurl=https://www.lyst.com/clothing/lanvin-leopard-print-suit-jacket-black/&docid=shFeLJqYeaAOBM&tbnid=VT9s4xEi9encFM:&vet=1&w=1000&h=1334&source=sh/x/im)and [Yuuri ](https://www.dhgate.com/product/wholesale-jacket-pant-mens-flower-suit-new/400370084.html)while Otabek is conversing with JJ a few feet away.

"So, how'd you meet Yuri?" JJ enquires.

"I was lost and I asked him for directions."

"That's neat! So, what work does he do?"

Otabek freezes for a moment, scrambling for something to say but manages to maintain his stoic expression, "He works in sales."

"Right... What does he sell?" 

"Why do you want to know?"

"I'm just a bit concerned here Otabek, especially when I see him talking to Viktor Nikiforov over there," he points behind him.

"I introduced them at dinner the other night."

"So now their best friends? Something doesn't feel right here, what if he's a spy? He's Russian too, just like Mr. Feltsman and Viktor! What if he's attached himself to you so he can feed information to them about your business..."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"What? It's possible, especially since you couldn't seal the deal with Mr. Feltsman the other night. He could..."

"JJ, please."

"But..."

Otabek is getting exasperated, and eventually snaps, "JJ. He is a hooker, not a spy."

The other man laughs, "You're so funny Otabek. You keep such a straight face too, I can never tell if you're joking or not."

"I'm not joking."

"What?" JJ looks stunned.

"I picked him up on Hollywood Boulevard. In _your_ car."

JJ realises Otabek really is being serious and laughs again, "Oh man, you're a piece of work!" he snorts, "You're the only millionaire I've ever heard of who goes looking for a cheap streetwalker, you know that?"

Instant regret washes over Otabek.

"I'm sorry I told you. Now please excuse me," he leaves to join Yuri and the rest.

 

"Crap, here comes Mr. Feltsman," the blonde whispers to Otabek.

"We came to an agreement over the phone yesterday. We're on good terms, so don't worry."

Yakov and his fiance, Lilia join them. Her shimmering green [dress](http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/01/30/00/3CA41E9A00000578-0-image-a-71_1485737526686.jpg) nearly blinds Yuri but her outfit is tame in comparison to what he has seen thus far, two parrot faces made of sequins and feathers decorating the top of her dress. She is a stern, serious woman - Yuri is convinced that she lives by the motto  _smiling gives you wrinkles, resting bitch face keeps you pretty._

Her face seems very familiar to him but he can't quite place it.

"So Lilia, Yuri actually used to do ballet when he was younger."

"Is that so?" she raises an eyebrow.

That's when it hits him - she's Lilia Baranovskaya, who became the Bolshoi's youngest ever principal dancer at the age of 15. Yuri remembers their teacher showing the class videos of her performances and he was always mesmerized by her. For many years his goal was to become the youngest male principal dancer, but that obviously fell through the cracks.

She eyes him critically, before speaking again, "I guess you do have the body for it. Were you any good?" 

"I was the best in my class," he responds confidently, not wanting to seem like an annoying fanboy.

"Hm," is all the response he gets, signalling that their conversation is now over.

 

 

Yuri and Otabek say goodbye to the group and wait for the limo to pick them up.

"I just want to say goodbye to someone, wait right here. I'll only be a minute."

Yuri nods, and the brunette is off. Not long after he is joined by JJ.

"Had a nice time, Yuri?"

"Yeah, I had a great time," the blonde smiles.

"Must be quite a change from Hollywood Boulevard, hm?"

Yuri's face drops, "What?"

"Yeah, Otabek told me. But don't worry, your secret is safe with me," JJ starts to stroke the blonde's arm, "You know... maybe you and I could get together sometime, after Otabek leaves."

The blonde is instantly disgusted but remembers that Otabek asked him to behave himself. "Yeah sure... Why not," he reluctantly agrees.

"Sounds like a plan..."

"JJ!" Isabella calls from a distance, interrupting their exchange and Yuri is grateful to be left alone again, the conversation leaving him feeling cheap, angry and hurt.

 

* * *

  

[Pinterest mood board](https://za.pinterest.com/rosaleewrites/yoi-fancfic-mood-boards/horse-racing-event/)

The bath scene was inspired by [this](http://lazuritecrown.tumblr.com/post/166323136214/what-are-you-doing-now-he-questioned-and-yuri). (Thank you Kali_Mav for sending me the original link!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the horse-racing event - I'm not sure how they do these in the US so I based it off of my personal experience. I attended one of these sorts of things with a large company I worked at way back in 2012 (I'm based in South Africa) so that's what I used for inspiration. Here we have this big annual horseracing event called the Durban July (held in Durban... in July), with a whole bunch of local celebrities attending and everybody really putting in the effort to dress up for the occasion - we're talking designer suits and dresses, and crazy headwear - they have an annual theme with several categories for best-dressed awards. A lot of weird-ass fashion - it would fit right in in the Capitol.
> 
> I decided to focus more on the socialising and fashion of the event mainly because Otabek doesn't gamble so it didn't make sense to go into detail about that. Also, yes JJ does/says something awful but I just want to clarify that while JJ isn't my favourite character I don't hate him and I don't think it's something he'd actually do in canon. I needed a character like that and he sort of just worked.


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

"You alright?" Otabek asks when they get back to the hotel.

"I'm fine."

The brunette sighs, "That's seven 'fines' since we left the racecourse. Could I have another word please?"

"Asshole! There's another word for you," Yuri slams the bathroom door.

"Think I liked 'fine' better," he mutters to himself.

The bathroom door opens again, "Just tell me one thing, why did you make me get all dressed up?"

"You needed to be dressed appropriately for the event."

"No, what is mean is why did you make me get all dressed up if you're just going to tell everyone I'm a hooker?"

"I didn't tell everyone that you're -"

"You fucking told J.J.!"

Otabek rubs his forehead, quietly chastising himself for letting it slip, "What did he do?"

"He said we should get together sometime when you leave and he was stroking my arm like some pervert. He made me feel like absolute fucking trash!"

"I'm sorry alright? I'm not happy with J.J. at all for doing that."

"Why the hell did you tell him?"

"He was getting paranoid when he saw you talking to Viktor. He thought you were some sort of industrial spy and he wouldn't shut up about it."

"So what, you think you're like my pimp now? You can just pass me around your friends like some little toy?"

"I don't think you're a toy, you know that -" he tries as Yuri stomps off towards the bathroom again, "Yuri, I am talking to you get back here!"

The blonde freezes - he's never heard Otabek raise his voice before.

"I hate to point out the obvious here but you are, in fact, a hooker. Now, I refuse to spend the next few days fighting with you. I said I'm sorry and I meant it. That's the end of it."

Yuri glares at him. "I'm sorry I ever met you. I'm sorry I ever got into your stupid fucking car!" he gathers his things, "I have _never_ had anyone make me feel as cheap as you did today."

"Where are you going?"

"I want my money, and I want to leave. Now."

Otabek reluctantly reaches for his wallet, placing the full amount on the bedside table before leaving the bedroom.

The blonde storms out of the suite, leaving the money behind after deciding he didn't want Otabek Altin's filthy money after all.

 

"For fuck sake..." he complains at the elevator which is taking an eternity to come up. He wants to get out of there as soon as possible, hoping Otabek doesn't come out of the suite before he can escape. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happens a few moments later.

"I'm sorry," Otabek says, barely above a whisper, "I wasn't prepared to answer questions about us. It was stupid and... cruel, and I didn't mean it. I was wrong. I hurt you and I'm sorry."

When the blonde doesn't respond he continues, "Please, Yuri. Come back inside, I don't want you to go. Please stay for the rest of the week."

"Why?" the blonde snaps.

"Because I enjoy having you around, even if it's just for the conversation."

At that moment the elevator finally arrives and the attendant looks at them expectantly, "Going down?"

He smiles awkwardly when he picks up on the tension in the air, Yuri answering with a subtle shake of the head and they are left alone again.

He turns to Otabek with tears burning his eyes, "You hurt me."

"Yes."

"Don't you dare do it again."

The brunette gives him a small nod in agreement and they both go back to the suite, Otabek taking Yuri's bags to help carry them inside.

 

* * *

 

"And that's when I met Mila. She was a hooker and made it sound so great," Yuri explains, both of them lying naked in bed, " So one day I did it. I was so angry at myself for becoming a whore just like my good-for-nothing mother."

After a short pause, he continues, "It's not like anybody plans this, you know? No kid wants to be a hooker when they grow up."

"You could be so much more..." Otabek gently tucks a hair behind Yuri's ear, his eyes warm with affection.

"If people put you down enough, you start to believe it," the blonde whispers.

"I think you are very bright and intelligent. You have so much potential."

"The bad stuff is easier to believe... You ever notice that?"

"Yeah."

They stare into each other's eyes for a few quiet moments before Otabek speaks again.

"So, what did you want to be when you grew up?"

Yuri smiles sadly, "I had this big dream of becoming the youngest ever male principal dancer at the Bolshoi Ballet. I admired Lilia Baranovskaya a lot for becoming the youngest ever female prima. We sometimes used to watch videos of her performances before and after class."

"I'd love to see you dance. I'm sure you're great."

"I've managed to maintain my flexibility but I'm out of practice. My en pointe shoes are fucked anyway."

"It can be arranged."

Yuri shakes his head, "No. It'll be too painful to be reminded of what could have been."

 

* * *

 

Yuri wakes up at 09h30 to find Otabek sitting in the lounge, wearing a bathrobe.

"You're running late today," he observes, forgoing the usual morning greeting.

"I've decided to take the day off."

Yuri raises an eyebrow, "Wow, the workaholic actually taking a day off? What has become of this world?"

"Well, I am the CEO of my own company, so technically I can do what I want."

"What's the occasion?"

Otabek gets up a takes Yuri's hands into his own, "I was an ass yesterday and I want to make it up to you."

"I don't expect you -"

The brunette cuts him off, "But I want to. So, let's get dressed and then we can go do whatever you want to for the day."

Yuri smiles mischievously, "Anything?"

"With an asterisk," Otabek's lips curve into a small smile, "And wear your leather jacket."

 

 

Yuri is surprised - first at the fact that Otabek is actually taking a day off work; second at his casual attire which consists of jeans, brown leather boots, a plain white t-shirt and a black leather jacket; and third, at the motorcycle waiting for them outside.

"Do you know how to drive this thing?"

"Better than I drive a car."

"That's reassuring."

He helps Yuri secure his helmet, "So, have you thought about where we're going?"

"Yeah, take me to a park. A nice one."

He drives them to Grayton Gardens which overlooks Hollywood Hills - the grounds are breathtakingly gorgeous with lush grass, several koi ponds and elaborate topiaries. Yuri pulls out a small blanket which he got from Minako and lays it out on the grass. They take off their shoes and lay down, watching the clouds and listening to music on Otabek's phone, sharing a set of earphones between them.

"I would have never guessed that you were into this kind of stuff," Yuri refers to the rock music blaring in his ear.

"I'm full of surprises."

"Do you have any of your own mixes on there?"

"I might. Let me check." he scrolls through his phone for a bit while Yuri daydreams.

"Here. I think you'll like this one."

The blonde listens intently, waiting until the music picks up before he exclaims, "Beka, this is so fucking cool!"

"It's called Welcome to the Madness."

"I love it! Could you send it to me? I mean... if you don't mind."

"Sure." 

They listen to music for a while longer, flipping through a few more of Otabek's mixes until he gets a phone call.

"I've got to take this, I won't be long," he excuses himself and purposely walks quite a distance away so that he's out of earshot.

As promised, the phone call doesn't last long and the blonde can vaguely hear him thanking someone and saying goodbye as he returns.

"We have plans for tomorrow night," Otabek says, a small secretive smile tugging at his lips.

"Oh, what are we doing?"

"It's a surprise."

"Bekaaaa," he whines.

Otabek wonders if Yuri knows he finds it hard to resist when he calls him by that nickname. The blonde has a way of almost always getting what he wants. _Almost._

"There's no use in trying. My lips are sealed until tomorrow night."

The blonde pouts but takes the hint.

 

Yuri sits with his back up against a large tree with Otabek resting his head on his lap with closed eyes. He brought along his copy of Aleksandr Afanasyev's 'Russian Fairytales' and is reading his favourite story out loud to the other man.

"When Tsar Barkhat saw her, he asked: _”Who is this young man?”_ And an attendant answered him: _“Tsar, this is no young man, but a maiden. I am certain of it; she is the daughter of Pope Vasili, and her name is Vasilisa Vasilyevna."_ The Tsar had hardly reached home before he sent a note to Pope Vasili, bidding his son Vasili Vasilyevich come and dine with him at the imperial table. And he, in the meantime, went to his old evil-tempered housekeeper and bade her devise some means of eliciting whether Vasili Vasilyevich were a maiden. The old evil housekeeper said: _“Hang an embroidery-frame in your palace, at the right hand, and a gun on the left; if she is really Vasilisa Vasilyevna, she will, as soon as ever she enters the palace, first take hold of the frame; but, if it is Vasili Vasilyevich he will lay hands on the gun.”_ Tsar Barkhat obeyed the counsel of his ancient evil housekeeper and ordered his attendants to hang an embroidery-frame and a flintlock up in the palace..."

 

* * *

 

 

The blonde later drags him to an arcade where he repeatedly kicks Otabek's ass on the DDR. He messes around on some of the pinball machines for a bit, while Otabek sneaks away to get the blonde a tiger plushie from one of the claw machines which he is obviously over the moon with.

For dinner, they go to a dingy hole-in-the-wall dim sum restaurant which Yuri is very fond of and they grab dessert from a food truck they happened to walk past.

 

"I had a great time today. Thank you."

"Me too," Otabek smiles sincerely, his dimples making a rare appearance, "Anywhere else you want to go?"

"Hmmm... I think we walked past an ice rink not too long ago. Wanna go skate for a bit?"

 

 

They skate around the edge of the rink a few times, getting a feel for the ice. They both have experience with skating since growing up in Kazakhstan and Russia respectively so they were accustomed to visiting outdoor rinks in the winter.

"It's been years since I've done this. I've forgotten how much fun it is," Yuri smiles.

"Yeah, I think it's probably been over a decade for me."

They skate in silence to the rhythm of a song that just started playing.

 

 _Can you hear my heartbeat?_  
_Tired of feeling never enough_  
_I close my eyes and tell myself_  
_That my dreams will come true_

 

Suddenly the blonde grabs the other man's hands, skating backwards and tugging him closer to the centre of the rink. Facing each other, the blonde starts spinning them around. 

"Dance with me Beka!"

The blonde giggles gleefully as they spin round and round, even eliciting a laugh from Otabek.

 

 _There'll be no more darkness_  
_When you believe in yourself, you are unstoppable_  
_Where your destiny lies, dancing on the blades_  
_You set my heart on fire_

 

 

They spend a good hour skating and laughing before the rental skates start to hurt Yuri's feet.

"Anything else you want to do?" Otabek asks right after they've returned the skates.

The blonde shakes his head, "I'm tired, let's just veg out and watch a movie in bed?"

"Sounds good."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just thought it'd be so sweet that Yuri can literally go do pretty much anything but he goes for activities that are simple and don't cost much despite the fact that Otabek is a multi-millionaire - it's the small things that count folks! Beka also had a good day, he's so used to doing rich people stuff and for the last few years, he's been alive but he hasn't been living. (Kind of like Viktor's L-words.)
> 
> Also, had to feature History Maker because that song is bomb. I feel if you interpret it slightly differently it can sort of relate to their current situation:  
> Yuri having big dreams that didn't come true but still wishing they could and thinking of what could have been.  
> Otabek thinking how Yuri has the potential to be so much more, watching Yuri dancing on the ice and it setting his heart on fire (even though he might not consciously realise it yet).
> 
> Yes, I am being lame but just let me have this moment, OK? OK.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry, I took a bit longer to update than usual, but unfortunately, real life exists along with the pain of work and deadlines - anyway, I'm planning on (hopefully) wrapping this fic up by the end of the weekend. (This chapter was also frustratingly difficult for me to write for some reason - on the plus side, Chapter 10 is halfway done.)

* * *

 

"You still haven't told me where we're going..." the blonde pouts while he buttons up his red shirt.

"Like I said, it's a surprise. You almost ready?"

He gives himself a once over in the mirror, "Yeah, let's go."

The limo is waiting for them when they get downstairs and they are on their way to wherever it is they are going. 

"You never told me what happened with Mr. Feltsman."

"I've become a 50% shareholder of Feltsman Industries and a co-director. We met this morning to sign the paperwork."

"So instead of buying the business and selling off the pieces, you're becoming a partner and helping them bring it back up?"

"Something like that, yes."

"Cool. What made you change your mind?"

"You did."

"Huh?"

"When you asked me what work I do, you seemed confused by the fact that my business doesn't make or build anything."

"Oh. Yeah."

"I realised that that might be the reason I feel so unfulfilled - all I'm doing is profiting off of the misfortunes of others."

"Well, when you put it that way..."

"I think it would be a good change to be involved in something more tangible."

"I guess that makes sen -" Yuri pauses mid-sentence and looks out of the window at their surroundings, "Wait, are we heading to the airport?"

The brunette smiles mischievously, "Maybe."

 

As Yuri predicted, they soon arrive at the airport where they are escorted onto a small private plane.

"This is the sort of shit you see in movies, what the hell!" Yuri exclaims excitedly, plopping down onto one of the plush black leather seats.

Otabek smiles quietly as he observes the blonde's reactions.

"Do you always travel like this?"

"Only on special occasions."

"You're just making me even more curious now."

"Good."

"You're evil."

"You're impatient."

  

Shortly after takeoff, they are served a spread of crackers, cheeses, cold meats and various other accompaniments with some red wine for Yuri and water for Otabek.

"Don't you hate flying?"

"No, do you?"

"I love it. But I'm not afraid of heights. You are." 

"You have a point, Otabek pauses for a moment to consider before continuing, "I don't really know why it doesn't bother me. Turbulence makes me nervous though."

As if on cue the pilot announces that they will be going through some turbulence and instructs them to fasten their seatbelts. For some reason, this announcement makes Yuri exceedingly happy.

"Looks like you jinxed it Beka," an excited smile crosses his face.

"You look way too hap-" the brunette's knuckles whiten as he clenches his fists when the turbulence begins. 

"I fucking love turbulence!" Yuri giggles, clearly having way too much fun.

Luckily the turbulence isn't too severe and it doesn't last long, much to the blonde's disappointment.

"Dammit, I wish it wasn't so mild..." he pouts.

"You're crazy."

"What? Turbulence is fun! I remember the first time I was ever on a plane, the turbulence was so bad I could feel my ass lifting off the seat. If I didn't have my seatbelt on I swear my head would have hit the ceiling. It was so fucking awesome! The woman next to me was so scared she started praying - she must have thought I was a maniac for laughing so much."

"I'll say it again: You're crazy."

 

The rest of the flight goes smoothly and another limo is waiting for them when they land in San Franciso over an hour later.

They pull up to a gorgeous old building.

"What is this place?"

"The Norton Memorial Opera House."

"Shit, this place looks fancy. Aren't we underdressed?"

"We're fine. People don't dress up for these sorts of things like they used to."

Yuri observes the advertisements for The Great Russian Nutcracker when they enter - he knows the story well, it's a production he's always wanted to see. The building has a stunning interior - red velvet seats, the balconies adorned with golden filigree patterns and the ceiling painted in various shades of blue, turquoise and grey, depicting a cloudy sky. There are three balcony levels and they are seated on the first in a private box they have all to themselves.

"If you don't like heights why are we sitting up here?"

"It's some of the best seats and it's the only ones I could get."

"Oh?"

"This is Lilia's private box. I called in a favour."

"Lilia's?" Yuri's eyes go wide.

The other man nods, "She's involved with the production."

"That's so damn cool!" the blonde looks around the room, "I've never been in a place like this before. It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it," he smiles warmly.

"Thanks, Beka. This is great."

A waitor brings some champagne and water just before the lights go off. The sound of violins, clarinets, flutes and various other instruments fill the air and the curtains open to reveal a backdrop of a house topped and surrounded by pure white snow. Dancers flit across the stage in small groups dressed in winter-themed costumes, presenting the cast to the audience. A wizard appears with a nutcracker doll and suddenly the stage goes dark, only to light up a few short seconds later with a completely different setting - the inside of a fine house with a Christmas tree in the background. Yuri is impressed by how swiftly they managed to make the change, and apparently, the rest of the audience is as well judging by the gentle applause. The blonde doesn't know where to look - the dancing is wonderful with many different characters and costumes to admire but at the same time, he is fascinated by the orchestra. The stage has his full attention again when the stage lights dim - mice appear on the stage and the Christmas tree grows and grows, taller and taller until the main character, Clara, finds herself amidst a battle between an army of gingerbread men and mice. The Nutcracker, who has been brought to life, appears to be leading the army and is joined by other dolls who serve as doctors to carry away the wounded gingerbread soldiers that the rats had begun to eat. The Nutcracker is wounded but Clara saves his life from being taken by the Mouse King, throwing her slipper at him as a distraction and giving the Nutcracker an opportunity to stab him. The music calms down as the mice retreat and The Nutcracker is transformed into a prince. The backdrop changes to a snowy landscape, a forest with a town in the distance. They perform a beautiful duet which symbolizes the prince leading Clara through a forest and beckoning her to his kingdom and with that, the curtains close and the first act comes to an end.

The second act passes just as quickly as the first, featuring a performance from the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, and a final waltz by an array of different characters. When the dancing comes to an end the stage darkens. The next scene takes place in the same room from act one, Clara stretching before running around the room trying to find her prince but soon realising that it was all just a dream. She hugs the doll as the curtains draw to close, the audience applauding loudly. Yuri joins in, standing and clapping furiously with a look of absolute glee plastered on his face.

 

* * *

  

Yuri gets ready for bed, showering and cleaning his teeth after which he slips into a blue sweater that belongs to Otabek. He opens the door to find the other man already asleep in a half seated position propped up against the headboard.

The blonde smiles, and walks over to turn off the lamp on the other man's side of the bed before gently sitting on the bed next to him, just admiring his peaceful-looking face.

Perhaps it's all the wine and champagne he's had tonight but he forgets his inhibitions and plants a soft kiss on the brunette's forehead, careful not to wake him. What follows is a kiss on the cheek, a kiss on the nose and finally - a gentle peck on the lips.

When he pulls back he finds dark eyes staring into his own with an unreadable expression and said eyes follow Yuri as he moves to straddle Otabek's lap.

The brunette reaches up to tuck a stray strand of blonde hair behind the other man's ear, letting his hand rest on the back of the blonde's neck who leans forward to kiss him on the lips again. It starts off delicately with a few chaste pecks but quickly devolves into hungry and passionate open-mouthed kisses getting more heated by the second. 

Soon they are both naked and experiencing immense pleasure, practically drowning in it, and the blonde quickly realises he's not on the clock tonight.

 

* * *

 

Yuri rolls onto his other side and sits up to look at the brunette who has fallen asleep next to him. His features are much softer, his usually stoic expression replaced with one more peaceful and he looks so serene and even happy. Otabek turns onto his stomach with his eyes still closed, now lying with his face turned away from Yuri. The blonde's heart clenches when he realises that tomorrow it will all be over. He knows what these feelings mean and he hates himself for letting it get this far. He knows he shouldn't have kissed the other man, it's completely against his principles to get emotionally involved with clients but this is different - he knows that what they shared tonight was more than just sex, he knows that in his heart he wasn't working tonight.

He would never say it to Otabek to his face, but he needs to get it off his chest.

Maybe it's the champagne still in his system making him do things he shouldn't be, but nonetheless, he whispers, "I love you," and places a featherlight kiss on the other man's shoulder, careful not to wake him. He puts his head back on the pillow and closes his eyes - he's gotten it off his chest and he can finally fall asleep now, but unbeknownst to him, the object of his affection isn't actually asleep.

 

* * *

 

Beautiful art that inspired me [here](https://dinklebert.deviantart.com/art/Otayuri-2-653989919).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I mentioned before, I'm not all that confident in my smut-writing abilities so I didn't delve too deep into the sex scene in this chapter (sorry!). If you would rather have details on what happened, shout at me in a comment and I'll consider adding a full smut scene.
> 
> Thanks again for all the lovely comments and kudos! xx


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning both men seem to be feeling awkward about the night before, not sure what it all means going forward.

"Taking another day off?" Yuri asks.

"It's Saturday."

"Right," the blonde fumbles with his fingers.

After a brief silence, Otabek says, "Listen, Yuri... I really want to see you again."

Yuri's heart clenches - he's annoyed at how happy hearing that makes him feel, but he knows what he must do.

"I have a nice apartment you can stay in so you can-" Otabek speaks again, but gets cut off.

"So I can become your personal beck-and-call guy? Someone to warm your bed when you're feeling lonely? I'm not interested."

"It's not like that-"

"Then what? What do you want in return?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? You want to give me a nice apartment to stay in for free? And when you finally meet someone or get tired of me I'll just be back on the streets again."

"I'd never get tired of you."

"Be realistic Otabek. I'm a fucking hooker. We haven't even known each other for a week, and now you just want to give me this life of luxury? I'm not some kind of gold digger!"

"I know that." 

"And I'm not some kind of charity case either."

"I never said that. Please, Yuri-"

They are interrupted by the sound of Otabek's cellphone - he quickly reads a text before saying, "I need to go pick something up from the office, I'll be back in about an hour or so. We'll talk then ok?"

The blonde crosses his arms but nods, Otabek giving him a peck on the cheek before he leaves the room. 

 

* * *

  

"Good morning Yuri, this is Minako from the front desk. We have someone downstairs who wants to speak to you, she says her name is-"

"Just let me talk to him?" Mila interrupts, reaching for the receiver.

Minako raises an eyebrow but obliges.

"Hey Yuri! Babe, please meet me downstairs? The sphincter police won't let me through. Okay, see you now," Mila smiles smugly and hands the receiver back, "He's on his way."

Minako hangs up the phone and smiles uncomfortably before excusing herself and going back to her office.

The redhead notices an elderly couple staring at her.

"50 bucks grandpa. For 75 the wife can watch."

The horrified looks on their faces are priceless, the woman quickly tugging her husband away towards the lounge.

  

"I left the money at the front desk on Tuesday," Yuri says irritably.

"I was hiding out from Carlos."

"If you picked up the money you wouldn't have to hide."

"Yeah, yeah I got busy ok? Rachel got arrested, it was a big mess. Anyway, I've got the money now. Thank you very much for saving my ass again. But enough about me, you're looking good babe! You clean up real nice."

They take a seat at one of the tables by the outdoor pool.

"It's easy to clean up when you've got money."

"Yeah, I guess. So, when does he leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"You get to keep the clothes?"

"Yeah. He said he wanted to see me again but..." he hesitates, "... but I think no. Definitely no."

"Definitely no?" Mila closely scrutinizes the blonde's face, "Oh no..."

"What?"

"You fell in love with him."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Mila."

"Did you kiss him on the mouth?"

Yuri hesitates before nonchalantly admitting, "Yeah, yeah I did. It was... it was really nice."

"You fall in love with him _and_ you kiss him on the mouth. Didn't I teach you anything?"

"I'm not fucking stupid OK? I'm not...," he sighs, "I'm not in love with him. I just... I kinda like him."

Mila can see right through him but she decides to just play along.

"You like him..."

Yuri smiles shyly, "Yeah..."

"Well, he's a rich classy guy, you could do worse."

"But he's gonna break my heart right?"

"You don't know that... I mean, he did say he wanted to see you again so maybe you could like, I don't know, get a house together or something and then buy some diamonds or a horse, I don't know."

Yuri huffs a laugh before getting serious again, "He offered to let me stay in some apartment he owns. For free, he says he wants nothing in return. I said no..."

"You turned him down?!" Mila stares at him incredulously.

"Yeah..." he admits sheepishly.

"Take the chance babe, it could totally work out."

"When does it ever really work out Mila? It didn't work out for Rachel. It was only two months before she was out on the streets again."

"But she's a crackhead. You're not."

"This shit doesn't happen in real life. Besides, I don't want to be his little charity case. He's way out of my league."

"I haven't seen what he looks like but I really doubt it. You're gorgeous hun."

"That's not what I meant! Yes, he's hot but he's also rich and smart and... and he could have any man or woman he wanted. He can do so much better than a nobody like me."

"Awh, don't put yourself down like that hun," Mila gives him a quick hug.

"It's more than that... But it doesn't matter, I've made up my mind."

"If you say so... Anyway, I've got to get going."

"Yeah, I'll be home a bit later today."

  

* * *

 

When Otabek returns Yuri is ready to leave.

"You're all packed up."

"Yeah, I better get going."

"So early?" he asks, evidently disappointed.

"Yeah, I... it's for the best."

The brunette sighs, "Yuri, I meant what I said earlier. I wish you would reconsider."

"Look. You made me a really nice offer but... if I'm getting off the streets I need to do it myself. I refuse to have you pay for my life decisions."

"Money doesn't matter..."

"Stop trying to solve all your problems by throwing money at it!" the blonde slightly loses his composure.

"Then what do you want? I don't understand," the other man raises his voice slightly, the frustration clearly evident on his face.

"I need to do this myself," he looks down at his hands, "and I will, believe me. But I can't accept your offer, I'm sorry."

After a few moments of silence, Otabek nods sadly and hands Yuri the money, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He gives the blonde a business card, "If you ever need anything, dental floss, whatever. You give me a call."

The blonde smiles softly, "Thanks. I had a good time."

"Me too."

Otabek starts to open the door but closes it again a second later, "Stay. Stay the night with me? Not because I'm paying you but because you want to."

"I can't," Yuri's voice cracks and he's annoyed at it betraying him.

A few quiet moments pass with them having some sort of silent conversation with their eyes before the brunette relents and opens the door again.

He gives the blonde a kiss on the cheek, "Goodbye."

"Bye."

He watches Yuri disappear into the elevator before he closes the door again, resting his head against it and pinching his eyes closed.

 

* * *

 

"Hey Minako."

"Ah, Yuri."

"I just wanted to say goodbye."

"I take it you won't be accompanying Mr. Altin to New York?"

He shakes his head.

Minako smiles sympathetically, "Have you arranged for transportation?"

"I'm gonna call a cab."

"Allow me," she motions to the driver behind Yuri, "Darryl. Please take this gentleman wherever he needs to go."

Minako shakes Yuri's hand. "It's been a pleasure knowing you."

He grins, "Stay cool, Minako."

 

 

It's a long ride home. The driver asks if he may play some music and Yuri initially agrees, but soon regrets his decision as every damn song turns out to be either a sad song or a love song, or even worse - a sad fucking love song. From Adele's  _Someone Like You_ to R.E.M.'s _Everybody Hurts_ he just gets more and more depressed as the ride carries on, their surroundings getting more dire with every turn they take. He finally breaks when Sinead O'Connor's  _Nothing Compares 2 U_ starts to play, tears streaming down his face. 

When they finally arrive at his shoddy apartment, Darryl helps him lug his stuff up the stairs while the entire neighbourhood stares in awe at the very out-of-place limo.

Mila isn't home yet, and Yuri can cry in peace.

 

* * *

 

The next morning Yuri decides to broach the subject that's been on his mind for the last couple of days, "Mila, I want to get off the streets. Finish high school, get a proper job."

"How are you gonna do that babe? 8000 bucks isn't gonna get you far."

"I have a plan. I've been doing research and they have this program that helps prostitu-"

"Come on! What happened to not being a charity case?"

"I said I wasn't HIS charity case. But, I'm willing to swallow my pride so I can have a chance at a better life. This shit is dangerous Mila, and I don't want to be a hooker forever! I want more."

"Had a taste of the high life and now you're hungry for more?"

"It's not like that you idiot."

"Then what is it?"

"I've learnt a lot this past week. About myself. I know now that one day I might like to meet someone and settle down, and that's not something I can do in my current situation."

"You could've had that with O-"

"Don't..." the blonde cuts her off sternly, "It's no one else's job to save me, I need to save myself. I'm not happy with myself or my life right now, and I can't give 100% to anyone without fixing myself first. I know what kind of future I want and I won't get it if I carry on this way."

"OK..." the redhead nods sadly, "I'll miss you."

"Please come with me? Quit the drugs, start a better life?"

"I don't know..." 

"Please Mila. You can't honestly tell me that you want to be whoring yourself out for the rest of your life? These people can help us go to school and find proper jobs. They have a nice comfortable home for us to stay in while we're busy with the program and you can go to beauty school like you've always wanted to. Otabek overpaid me by $2000 and I want to give that to you, so you can use it to do a course or something. Please?"

"Yuri..."

"You're like family to me, and I want you to be safe. Let's do this together?"

After some deliberation, Mila agrees, "When do you wanna go?"

"Let's pack up our shit and go in the morning. How does that sound?"

 

* * *

 

"Mr. Altin sir, the driver is ready for you downstairs."

"Yes, thank you."

Otabek is exhausted. He didn't get any sleep the night before, missing the feeling of Yuri's body next to his and just generally unable to get the blonde out of his head. Everything just seems so dull all of a sudden.

Before he leaves the hotel he is stopped by Minako in the lobby, "Good morning sir, I hope you had a pleasant stay?"

"Pleasant as always. Thank you, Minako."

"Good. I had Darryl drive Yuri home yesterday, so I can assure you that he arrived at his destination safely."

He winces at the sound of that name but quickly recovers, "Thank you."

"You are most welcome sir. We hope to see you again soon. Have a safe journey."

He nods and makes his way outside, Darryl opening the car door for him to get in.

"Where to sir?"

Otabek hesitates - Darryl drove Yuri home the day before so he should be able to take him there, but he's terribly conflicted. He knows what he  _wants_ to do but he's not sure whether or not it's what he  _should_ do. He _wants_ nothing more but to go to Yuri, see him again but... Yuri made a decision yesterday and he _should_  respect that.

"The airport please."

 

 

* * *

 

*While writing the part where Yuri and Otabek part ways, I thought of these two songs: [Hard To Stay by Nice Peter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2whvf54GL4) and [All The Same by Sick Puppies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs72v-2zjsg).


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place more or less 4 years later.

* * *

 

"The operating room is prepped for our next patient."

"Thanks, Yuri. Katie just let me know that she's running late. Could you please man reception for the time being? We'll get started once she gets in."

"Sure, no problem," he agrees with a smile.

He  _hates_ working at the reception desk, but he can't say no to his boss. One of the perks of being a Veterinary Assistant is that he doesn't have to really work with people all that much - that's one of the reasons he chose this profession in the first place.

Nonetheless, he goes to greet their first customer for the day with a warm smile.

"Good morning how may I-" he freezes when he sees the familiar face in front of him.

"Yuri? What a surprise to see you here," Minako smiles, holding a young fluffy cat.

"Uh... Yeah. I... I work here," he stumbles over his words, not really quite sure what to say. He never expected to see her ever again.

"I see that. I'm glad you're doing well."

"Thanks. How... how can I help?"

"Oh, I've brought my cat in to be sterilized. She's scheduled for later today."

The blonde quickly checks the list, "Her name is Sakura?"

"That's the one."

"Yes, she's in at 11h00. Please could you fill out these forms?"

She passes the obviously stressed cat to Yuri who gently begins to stroke her and within seconds the cat is calm and purring.

"That's surprising, she's never this calm around strangers."

He smiles, "Cats really like me. My boss says I have a gift for calming them down so she always tries to schedule cat related appointments on days that I'm on duty."

"In that case, it's good to know that she's in good hands. When can I fetch her?"

"Tomorrow morning. We like to monitor them overnight to make sure there aren't any complications and then we give them some pain meds in the morning to get them through the day."

She nods and hands the clipboard back to him, "Will you be on duty tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'll be here all day."

"Great. Then I'll see you tomorrow."

 

* * *

 

"Good afternoon Mr. Altin, welcome back," Minako greets with a bright smile and hands him his keycard, "I'll have your luggage brought up to your room momentarily."

"Thanks, Minako. Same room as last time?"

"Yes, sir."

He nods and walks towards to elevators, but Minako quickly dashes around the counter to speak to him again.

"Mr. Altin, sir?" she starts hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"I happened to run into someone this morning, I thought you might be interested." 

He looks back at her but doesn't say anything so she continues, "Yuri, that friend of yours you had staying with you in the penthouse a few years ago."

He stares at her blankly as if she just told him she was from another dimension.

When he doesn't respond she continues again, "I took my cat to the vet to be sterilized and he happens to be employed there. I am going to collect her tomorrow morning, shall I send him your regards?"

After a few more awkward seconds he manages to collect himself, "No, that won't be necessary. Thank you."

She tries her best to mask her disappointment when she responds, "Very well sir."

He disappears into the elevator going up to the 11th floor - he hasn't stayed in the penthouse ever since that week he spent with Yuri and it doesn't look like he'll be staying in there again anytime soon.

Back in her office, Minako is attending to some admin when the phone on her desk starts to ring.

"Hello?"

"I have Mr. Altin on the line for you."

"Put him through."

 

She patiently waits for the call to connect.

"Minako speaking, how may I help Mr. Altin?"'

"Hi Minako, could you please give me the details for the vet clinic?"

 

* * *

 

"Yuuuriii!" Katie calls from the front desk.

"What is it now? Can't you see I'm busy?"

She peeks around the corner, "Someone's here to see you."

"Huh? Who?"

She lowers her voice, "He wouldn't say but he's _ridiculously_ hot. Looks like he got here on a motorcycle," she gushes.

Yuri freezes in shock for a few moments too long, Katie growing impatient.

"Earth to Yuri? Hello?"

Panic starts to set in, "Uh... Uhm. Tell him I'm not here."

"He's heard your voice already, he knows you're here."

"Make up some other excuse! Anything! I can't..."

"What the Hell has gotten into you?"

The familiar tune of _Welcome To The Madness_ fills the reception area - Yuri left his cellphone on the desk.

"Shit..." he mutters to himself, realising there's no running away from it now.

He rushes to silence his phone, not bothering to check who was calling. He doesn't need to look up to know who's standing on the other side of the counter.

Neither of the two men says anything, Katie looking from one to the other in confusion as an awkward feeling stagnates in the air.

The blonde's feet shuffle nervously and he fidgets with his hands for a while before he decides to look up. There he is - the only person he's ever been in love with, the man who changed his life, the one and only Otabek Altin.

"Yuri," the brunette utters the first word, and goddammit Yuri would be lying if he said he didn't miss that voice.

"Hey..." the blonde man still can't make direct eye contact with him.

"Minako told me..."

"Yeah, I figured."

An awkward silence ensues. 

"Listen, could we perhaps grab lunch? Or some coffee?" the brunette asks.

"OK," he hesitantly agrees, realising it's best to just get this over and done with, "my break is in 5 minutes."

 

They walk to a small cafe around the corner and take a seat outside, taking advantage of the sunny weather. 

Otabek is the first to strike up a conversation, "How have you been?"

"I've been good. You?"

"I'm fine. Busy."

"Of course."

"What have you been up to? What's been happening in your life?"

"Nothing much." 

"It's been four years, Yuri. Come on..."

The blonde sighs, "After we... said goodbye, Mila and I checked in to this prostitution rehabilitation program that helps hookers get off the streets. I finished 12th grade and decided to study Veterinary Technology. That's all there really is to it."

"What kind of work do you do at the clinic?"

"I'm a Veterinary Assistant so I help my boss with surgeries and other procedures, do post-op checkups on patients, that sort of thing."

"And are you enjoying it?"

He smiles, "Yeah. Not what I imagined I'd end up doing with my life but I love it."

"Good. I'm proud of you," the other man says sincerely.

Always so straightforward and ready to drop compliments, he hasn't changed.

"Thanks..."

A short silence follows before Otabek has the courage to ask, "Please let me take you out to dinner tonight? I mean, if you don't have any plans."

The blonde shuffles uncomfortably but agrees, "Sure, I'd like that."

 

* * *

 

"How are you so fucking fast? You literally only have three legs you little shit!" Mila yells, chasing the cat around the kitchen like a maniac.

"Just calm your tits, would you?" 

"I _would_ , but that furry tripod is literally the spawn of Satan!"

The cat jumps into Yuri's arms and within seconds it's purring, "Don't be so mean, she's cute! Look how lovable she is."

Potya is a small grey cat missing her front left leg. No one knows exactly what happened but she was found on the side of the road with her leg severely damaged and in the end, the only option was amputation. Judging by how filthy and skinny she was it was obvious that she was a stray. She was a bit feral and afraid of humans, and wouldn't let anyone near her without hissing and scratching, anyone but Yuri that is. He decided to adopt her, knowing full well that she'd have a hard time finding a home - after all, people tend to prefer adopting cute animals, not ones with missing limbs.

"Easy for you to say, she doesn't ruin  _your_ clothes. And I just bought that dress yesterday," the redhead pouts. "Stupid cat."

"It was kinda ugly. She was doing you a favour if you ask me."

"Ugly?! Are you actually blind?"

"Ugh," he rolls his eyes, "I'll buy you a new one OK? Just stop bitching."

They're both startled by a knock on the door.

Mila's face suddenly lights up, "Oooh your boyfriend is here!"

"Shut up Mila! He's not my boyfriend," he rolls his eyes at her, setting the cat back on the ground and grabbing his jacket.

She smiles mischievously, "Have fun! And text me if you aren't coming home tonight."

"Yeah, yeah," he takes a deep breath before heading out the door.

 

They settle on having Dim Sum at the same dingy old restaurant they ate at all those years ago. Dinner goes off without a hitch and it's as if they never parted, laughing and joking and just generally enjoying each other's company. Otabek tells Yuri about how he's rekindled his relationship with his sister who decided to come to study in the U.S., how he's become less of a workaholic, and about the different businesses he had invested in in recent years.

 

"Thanks for dinner, I had a really good time."

"You're welcome. I had a good time too."

The blonde smiles in response and starts walking to where the motorcycle is parked but is halted when Otabek grabs his wrist.

"Why didn't you call me?"

Yuri is startled by the sudden reaction, even more so by the hurt clearly evident on the other man's face.

"I..." he looks down at the ground and fidgets with his hands, "didn't know what to say."

"The night before you left you said that you loved me. Was that true?"

Yuri's eyes widen and his face flushes pink with embarrassment, "You... you weren't supposed to hear that..."

"That's not the point. Answer my question."

"I..." The blonde starts but falls silent, not sure how to answer.

"Yuri, I know it's been 4 years so I don't expect you to still feel the same but I want to know if I have a chance. If you've loved me before you could love me again."

"But why?" the blonde asks quietly.

"What?"

"Why me?"

"There are a million reasons, but the most important one is because you're _you_. Sure, you're often rude and you tend to let whatever is in your head come out of your mouth without considering the consequences but I wouldn't have it any other way. I've learnt a lot from, you've changed my perspective on a lot of things but more importantly, spending time with you makes me happy."

"So what you're saying is you actually like me for my personality?"

"Basically, yes."

When he doesn't get a response he takes a step closer and gently cups Yuri's cheek with one hand, "I've walked away from relationships before, but I can't walk away from you, not again. I did last time because I wanted to respect the decision you made but please don't make me do it again."

"You deserve much better than me."

"That's not for you to decide."

"But I used to be a pr-"

"I don't care."

"But J.J..."

"I told him to get lost years ago."

"People might still find out..."

"Is that the only thing stopping you? If your past was different and you never became a prostitute in the first place, what would you want out of this?"

"That's not how it works..."

"For fuck sake, Yuri. Stop making excuses and just..." he inhales deeply and lets out an exasperated sigh, "just tell me how you feel."

They remain silent and unmoving for several moments in an awkward standoff on the sidewalk.

Yuri is the first to move, answering by grabbing the other man's face and kissing him passionately on the lips.

 

As soon as the hotel room door closes Otabek doesn't waste any time, pushing Yuri up against the wall and kissing him furiously as if his life depended on it. He loosens the other man's ponytail, running his fingers through the long blonde hair as it cascades down his back.

The other man pushes Otabek's leather jacket off of his shoulders and flings it onto a nearby chair before he begins to tug at Otabek's t-shirt as well. The brunette takes the hint, breaking the kiss so he can take it off, using this opportunity to rid Yuri of his own jacket and t-shirt as well. A shiver runs down his spine when he feels the warm flesh of Yuri's torso against his own.

There is no denying that he has missed this. He's missed the warmth of Yuri's body, the smell of his hair, the sounds he makes when he's squirming in pleasure beneath him. He's missed his skin, his hair, his lips... his everything.

They clumsily stumble to the bed as they remove the rest of their clothes, on the verge of being driven mad by years of pent-up lust.

The blonde is the first to lie down and the other man is on top of him within seconds, grabbing a fistful of golden hair and tugging at it, pulling Yuri's head back to reveal his slender neck. An involuntary moan escapes from Yuri's throat as the other man's warm tongue glides up the newly uncovered flesh before he makes his way down to Yuri's chest.

"Beka..." the blonde whispers when the brunette starts to stimulate his nipple with his tongue.

He flips Yuri over onto his hands and knees. He wets his fingers with saliva and begins to massage the blonde's entrance all the while planting kisses down his spine, and he's rewarded with gasps and goosebumps.

When he reaches his tailbone he climbs off the bed to stand on his knees, pulling the blonde closer towards the edge of the bed and making him spread his legs.

He gently kneads the other man's cheeks spreading them apart before his tongue finally reaches it's intended destination, the hot, wet sensation making Yuri moan uncontrollably.

Flicking the tip of his tongue back and forth, then opening Yuri up by invading over and over again leaves the other man trembling and whimpering helplessly.

He flips the blonde over once more and they move up the bed. He wets his fingers again, this time inserting two of them to prepare for the inevitable.

"No need for that, " Yuri pants, "I'm ready."

Otabek obliges, lubricating his erection with more saliva before penetrating, slowly easing his way in and giving the other man time to adjust. 

When he gets the go-ahead he starts to move again, in and out in a slow and deliberate manner, savouring every moment.

The sensation of his prostate being rhythmically massaged leaves Yuri hanging in suspension overwhelmed by waves of pleasure and Otabek grunts at the feeling of Yuri's fingernails digging into his back causing him to instinctively pick up the pace.

Time becomes a foreign concept, both unable to tell for how long they had been going at it and quite frankly not really caring - none of that matters right now. All that matters is Otabek and Yuri and the pressure building up inside them.

With a few hoarse moans, Yuri is the first to reach climax, a sticky mess spreading across his abdomen.

The brunette's movements become erratic as the feeling of the other man's warmth tensing around his member brings him closer to the edge, gasping as the feeling of release washes over him moments later.

 

Yuri makes himself comfortable laying his head down on Otabek's shoulder and tangling their legs together, quickly falling asleep with the other man's arm wrapped around him.

Otabek brushes some unruly long hair out of the blonde's face and places a gentle kiss on his head before also falling into a blissful sleep.

 

* * *

 

_[3 months later_ _]_

Otabek has spent countless hours of his life hanging around airports. There are only two hours left until he boards a flight to Barcelona for a long overdue two-week holiday.

He checks the flight information display system - a plane from the LAX has just landed which means his travel partner will be joining him shortly.

His mounting anticipation makes the minutes feel like hours, but soon enough he sees the unmistakable golden hair and leopard print hoodie approaching in the distance.

Yuri's face lights up when he sees Otabek, practically running to throw his arms around him.

The brunette hums, "I missed you."

"You saw me two days ago you fucking sap," Yuri laughs, but Otabek knows that translates to  _'I missed you too'._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are, we've sadly reached the end. Just want to say thanks to everyone for the comments and the kudos, I really appreciate it and I'm so happy you enjoyed my first attempt at sharing some fanfiction. I do still have a long way to go until I'm fully satisfied with my writing skill, but the only way that can be improved is by writing some more! (Smut is especially difficult for me to write, but I'll get there eventually - any feedback is appreciated, I love reading and responding to comments.) Please let me know if you'd maybe like a chapter set a bit further into the future of their domestic life, or details on what happened relationship wise? Might be fun to write!
> 
> NOTE: instead of editing Chapter 9 to include a smut scene I decided to write one in Chapter 11. I know Otabek hasn't really used profanity before now, but I thought it appropriate since he was feeling very frustrated at that moment.
> 
> I'm going to be sharing a new Otayuri related fic on here shortly - get ready for something dark and twisted, and not for the faint of heart. I hope you'll be joining me for the ride! If you're not into that sort of thing don't worry, I have other fics planned for the future that'll be more like this one.


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